The government today announced to set up a five member expert panel to review methodology of poverty estimates. The panel will be headed by Prime minister's economy advisory council chairman Dr. C Rangarajan. Announcing this in New Delhi, planning and science and technology minister Mr. Ashwani Kumar said the panel will submit their report within nine months. Mr. Kumar said the expert panel will comprehensively review the existing methodology of estimation of poverty and examine whether the poverty line should be fixed solely in terms of a consumption basket.
The Minister also informed that the committee, which will submit its report within nine months to recommend how the estimates of poverty should be linked to eligibility and entitlements for schemes and programmes under the central government. Mr. Kumar informed the poverty ratio in the country has reduced from 40.7 crore in 2004-05 to 35.5 crore in 2009-10.