Ramesh seeks review of current method to decide BPL cap

In the midst of a row over Planning Commission affidavit on Below Poverty Line cap, Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh has asked the Planning Commission to review its current poverty estimation methodology saying it is not a solution to fight poverty.

In the midst of a row over Planning Commission affidavit on Below Poverty Line cap, Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh has asked the Planning Commission to review its current poverty estimation methodology saying it is not a solution to fight poverty.

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Ramesh had written to panel's deputy chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia suggesting an alternative.

He said that there should be no single BPL list or card. Instead, there should be an exclusion criteria and all the non-excluded households be part of one main list with subsidiary lists for specific programmes.

These households will be entitled to various schemes based on their various deprivation and inclusion criteria and a cumulative score.

Ahluwalia had agreed for further discussion on the issue saying there was "utter confusion" over the issue.