Poverty dip claim becomes butt of Twitter jokes

The Planning Commission's decision to scale down the poverty line to Rs 28 in urban areas and to Rs 22 in rural, has received much flak from the world of Twitter.

The Planning Commission's decision to scale down the poverty line to Rs 28 in urban areas and Rs 22 in rural, has got netizens protesting.

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The latest poverty estimates by the plan panel show that 29.8% or 360 million Indians were poor in 2009-10 as compared to 37.2% or 400 million in 2004-05 — the difference being equal to the population of countries such as Spain, Argentina and Canada.

The Planning Commission believes, Indians in urban areas can survive with Rs 28 a day and people in rural areas can survive with a mere Rs 22.5 a day. These figures have received much flak from social activists, and those in the world of Twitter. Sample this tweet: @vaidehisachin Sshhh! The FM may get ideas to tax all income above Rs.28.00 per day.

Biraj Patnaik, the Supreme Court’s food commissioner, described the figures as unrealistic and an insult to the poor.

“Can someone survive for a day on Rs 28 in urban areas and Rs 22.5 in rural areas?” he asked, adding that the data will create “needless controversy and confusion”.

Here are some tweets on the plan panel's decision.