Now political parties are showing each other as having wrong notion of "poverty line". The poverty line has been defined differently by states so that that can limit the number of free entitlements for those below the line. For whole of India, the Planning commission has said that Rs. 32 per day expenditure for urban and Rs. 28 for rural applies as poverty line. But as per the state's website, its government itself has given Rs. 11 for rural and Rs. 17 for urban areas. This is so that the number of families earning less that Rs. 11 is very small; and state has to provide for food for only fewer persons only. This was tricky. But the claims of the dominant party of the state of Gujarat is that it is the most developed state and that it is a model for others to follow. One cannot change poverty lines as one wants. And it is very very sad that we try to reduce human needs to mere figures. Needs like clean water, sanitation, homes, clothes, education and health are as important as food, but it is not considered in making of the statistics of "poverty lines" What will political parties do to get rid of poverty? Let us forget the statistics and see what can be done at ground level. Nobody wants to do that. Each party uses this figure as a weapon against the other, "this is what your state has" or "this poverty figure of yours is useless" Arguments go on and on. Should we use poverty line as an ammunition?
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