The Planning Commission has made it clear that the Tendulkar Committee criteria will not be applied for allocation of subsidized food and other poverty alleviation programmes. Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia said, the Socio- Economic Caste Census will be ready by January next year, and it will provide the criteria for coverage of centrally sponsored schemes. He added that the Commission has never taken a view that the benefits should be restricted to those living below the poverty line.

The Commission had earlier submitted an affidavit before the Supreme Court, outlining the yardstick for the poverty line. It was put at 32 rupees per head for a family of five, living in urban areas and 26 per head for people living in rural areas. Addressing a joint press conference in New Delhi along with Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, Mr. Ahluwalia said that the Tendulkar Committee Criteria is actually the standard of living of those at poverty line in 1973-74 and appears to be very low now.

Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said the government will seek to ensure that no poor household is excluded from the benefit of central government schemes. He said, an Expert Committee is being appointed to ensure that the methodology is consistent with the provisions of the Food Security Bill.