As is true of many other aspects in Indian administration, the definition of the people living below the poverty line (BPL) is still elusive and unrealistic. No wonder the Supreme Court of India has expressed its displeasure over the Planning Commission for its inability to guage and define the real and practical definition of BPL families in the country. Many welfare schemes of the Government of India and state governemnts have been formulated and taken up for execution by the authorities on the basis of such a definition given by the Commission. Unfortunately a near total chaos prevails all over and the planning apparatus has no time to do the needful on its own without an order from the Apex`Court.
For instance the Public Distribution System of cereals and other foodstuff through the Fair Price Shops is based on such a definition. Lack of proper definition has led to all sorts of malpractices like black-marketing, hoarding and smuggling. The present definition of BPL namely Rs 20 per head in urban areas and Rs 15 per head in rural areas (2100 calories and 2400 calories per capita per day in urban and rural areas respectively) is nowhere comparable to the real situation in the present day context. Hence the announcement by the central government on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 to release some Five Million tonnes of wheat in two weeks from government godowns to prevent starvation deaths and malnutrition.
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