The Hindu : Anomaly in state on identifying BPL families

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Sunday, Nov 03, 2002

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Anomaly in state on identifying BPL families

By Our Staff Correspondent

JAIPUR NOV. 2. The parameters laid down by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) and the Planning Commission for identification of the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families have led to an anomaly in Rajasthan where the number of BPL families is likely to go down significantly in the new census despite the widespread poverty in rural areas.

The guidelines for the BPL census-2002 provide, on the basis of the NSSO/Planning Commission's criteria, that only 13.74 per cent of the rural families in the State would be included in the BPL category. The number comes to 11.89 lakh of the 86.54 lakh rural families, which is about half of the present BPL families.

A BPL census conducted by the State Government in 1992 had found 19.49-lakh such families and their number increased to 20.97 lakhs in 1997. This was about 30 per cent of the total rural families in Rajasthan.

Meanwhile, the rural population has increased to 4.32 crores in the State, according to the 2001 census. This population constitutes 86.54 lakh rural families.

The BPL census-2002 will, in all likelihood, deprive about 10 lakh families of the benefits of inclusion in the BPL category. These families were earlier either identified as those belonging to BPL or had the eligibility for being listed as the BPL families.

Moreover, the number of such families has been constantly rising amid drought in the State during the past four years.

Pointing out these irregularities in a letter addressed to the Union Minister for Rural Development, Shanta Kumar, the Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, has said the percentage of BPL families among the rural families must have gone up since the last survey in 1997. "In this situation, the condition of identifying only 13.74 per cent of the rural families seems to be impractical,'' he emphasised.

Mr. Gehlot said the impact of this year's drought was very serious across the State and the State Government had provided employment to thousands of BPL families in the drought relief works. The BPL census, by excluding a large number of these families from the BPL category, would also deprive them of employment, which would be "inhuman'', he added.

The Chief Minister asserted that the right course of action would be identification of the BPL families on the basis of realistic standards keeping in view the drought condition in the State and benefiting them under various schemes. "Excluding the families which are eligible for identification in the BPL category will lead to resentment among them,'' he said.

In view of the unprecedented crisis in Rajasthan caused by severe drought this year, Mr. Gehlot urged the Centre to defer the BPL census to July 2003.

He also pointed out that the State Government would not be able to make any contribution towards the expenses on the exercise and requested the Centre to bear full expenditure on the census.

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Anomaly in state on identifying BPL families