BPL list

Fresh BPL list in three months

BHUBANESWAR: Orissa Government on Friday announced that it would conduct a fresh survey to figure out people living below poverty line in three months.

The decision was taken a high level meeting of District Collectors chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The survey would be conducted basing on 13 factors. The meeting also decided to include AIDs patients under this scheme.

According to survey done in 1997, there are 44.97 lakhs House Hold (HH) in the BPL list. Survey taken up in 2002 covered 77.40 lakh families and the list is yet to be finalized. Panchayati Raj Minister Prafulla Samal, Civil Supplies Minister Sarada Nayak, Chief Secretary TK Mishra and several other senior officials attended the meet.

However the Government of India has allowed 38 lakh HH in the BPL list. Over the years war of words continues over the BPL list between the State Government and Government of India.

This time photograph even biometric details will be gathered to prevent ‘ghost’ will be collected, covering at least 80 lakh families, sources said

Meanwhile, a Study by Union Rural Development Ministry has found that the BPL population in Orissa has reached at 84.47 per cent as against the 47 per cent stated by the Naveen Patnaik led BJD Government here. The Ministry had constituted a 17-member Expert Group headed by N C Saxena to advise it on the methodology for conducting the BPL census for the 11th Five Year Plan.

Several other key issues were discussed and feedbacks were also taken from the District Collectors on various Government schemes. In its report, the Expert Group has said that the percentage of rural population that is poor and not able to satisfy the minimum required calorie needs or consume the minimum cereal required for healthy living is far greater than the present cut-off line of 28.3 per cent for the country and 47 per cent for Orissa.

The committee recommended that the percentage of people entitled to BPL status should be drastically revised to at least 50 per cent in the country, which means a corresponding to a calories intake of 2.10 kilo calories a day as well as on a minimum cereal consumption of 12.25 kg per month.

Incidentally, 2.10 kilo calories were considered minimum for a healthy person living in urban areas in 1973-74.State Panchayatiraj Department officials said the national jump form 28.3 to 50 per cent may appear significant, but in reality it may not be so.