BPL population of Bihar 55%, says report

PATNA: The Tendulkar report, submitted to the Planning Commission puts the percentage of population below poverty line (BPL) at 55% and not 43% as

Chief minister Nitish Kumar feels vindicated and appears to be in "I told you so" mood. "The actual BPL population in Bihar would be around 75% as the N C Saxena report suggests. We held an international seminar on poverty in which internationally renowned economists took part. We have sent its proceedings to the Centre. Ever since we came to power, we have been maintaining that the yardsticks used to identify BPL families is not for identification of poor but of a daridra (pauper)," he said.

Nitish said the Tendulkar Committee report had vindicated his stand to a large extent. "It proves that the planners for poverty eradication in Delhi live in a make-believe world and give imaginary figures about the BPL population. In the draft food security Bill, the BPL population in Bihar has been reduced. I have written to the Centre that since they decide the yardsticks for BPL, they should also take up the job of identifying BPL families. The Centre takes credit for poverty eradication schemes but sends funds in accordance with the numbers decided by itself even as there is a hue and cry over the non-inclusion of people in the BPL list in Bihar. The state government gets discredited."

A war of attrition has been going on between the state and the Centre over the BPL population. The Centre puts the figure at 65 lakh families while the state insists that the actual figure is 1.23 crore and likely to touch 1.5 crore. The Centre has been allocating foodgrain, kerosene and funds to Bihar on the basis of its estimate of 65 lakh BPL families.

The Tendulkar Experts Committee, constituted to devise a new methodology for identification of BPL families, has done away with the old system of 13 points given for consumption of food, possession of TV, raido, clothes and other items. It has concentrated on the monthly expenditure of a household. According to its report, the per capita expenditure in rural Bihar is Rs 433.42 per month and urban area Rs 526.18. The BPL population in rural Bihar is 55.7% and 43% in urban Bihar. Only Orissa at 60% rural BPL population has more.

Economists and social activists appear to agree with Nitish's perception. "If 10.9% of the BPL population of the country is living in Bihar, then it should be allocated funds for poverty eradication schemes in that ratio. But it is not so. It is just getting 4.9% of the funds earmarked for NREGA," said Promod Kumar Singh, state convener of Hunger Free Campaign in Bihar.