Previous Year Question

Various economists and expert committees have contributed to developing and revising poverty measurement methodologies in India. The correct chronological order of the given studies and committees is Dandekar and Rath (1971) → Lakdawala Committee (1989) → Tendulkar Committee (2005) → Rangarajan Committee (2012).

1. Dandekar and Rath (1971): Economists V. M. Dandekar and Nilakantha Rath published a study titled Poverty in India in 1971. It estimated poverty using consumption expenditure data from the 1960–61 National Sample Survey (NSS). They considered a nutritional requirement of 2,250 calories per person per day for both rural and urban areas as the basis for determining the poverty line. This was an independent research study, not a formally constituted government committee.

2. Lakdawala Committee (1989): The Planning Commission constituted an Expert Group under the chairmanship of D. T. Lakdawala in September 1989. It submitted its report in July 1993. The committee recommended State-Specific Poverty Lines and a methodology for updating poverty lines using price indices for rural and urban areas.

3. Tendulkar Committee (2005): The Planning Commission constituted an Expert Group under the chairmanship of Suresh D. Tendulkar in December 2005, which submitted its report in December 2009. The committee emphasised Household Consumption Expenditure and essential expenditure on health and education rather than relying exclusively on calorie-based criteria for poverty measurement.

4. Rangarajan Committee (2012): The Planning Commission constituted an Expert Group under the chairmanship of C. Rangarajan in 2012 to review the methodology of poverty measurement. It submitted its report in June 2014. The committee recommended revised poverty lines by incorporating expenditure on non-food necessities alongside nutritional requirements for food.

Chronology of major studies and committees:

In addition, a Task Force chaired by Y. K. Alagh submitted its report in 1979. It estimated the poverty line based on nutritional requirements of 2,400 calories per day in rural areas and 2,100 calories per day in urban areas.