Montek and Jairam reach agreement on 'poverty line'

New Delhi, Oct 3 (ANI): Amid a raging controversy over the Rs 32 per capita per day poverty line definition, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia met Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh here on Monday.

The duo also met the Planning Panel members in this regard.

Both Ahluwalia and Ramesh later informed the media persons about their meeting on the issue and the future course of action.

"We had a good meeting. I think we have resolved all the important issues and we are in complete agreement. He (Ramesh) will be joining me in the press conference at 3 p.m. when we will be outlining this agreement for you," Ahluwalia said.

Jairam Ramesh, who appeared to be on the same wavelength as Ahluwalia on the issue, said: "I had a discussion with the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman for around an hour on the issue. We have reached an agreement on the issue. We discussed on what should be the relationship between the poverty line and 'Grameen Vikash Yojana'. We will inform in detail during a press conference at 3 p.m."

Responding to a question on the future course of action, a confident Ramesh further said: "We have reached an agreement."

Ahluwalia had earlier on Sunday met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh for the first time since the controversy erupted after an affidavit filed by the Plan Panel in the Supreme Court.

As per the affidavit, a family of five spending less than Rs 4,824 (at June, 2011, prices) in urban areas will fall in the BPL (Below Poverty Line) category. The expenditure limit for a family in rural areas has been fixed at Rs 3,905.

The number of poor entitled to BPL benefits, as per the affidavit, has been estimated at 40.74 crore, as against 37.2 crore estimated at the time of accepting the Tendulkar Committee report.

India has been struggling to contain inflation, which is at a 13-month high of 9.78 percent.

The revised poverty lines have drawn criticism from various parties and civil society members who state that the renewed figures would keep out majority of the country's population from receiving welfare benefits of the government. (ANI)