Planning Commission’s report on poverty in India becomes controversial

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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The Planning Commission’s report on poverty in India has spurred a new debate on the issue as the ruling party is struggling to defend the new figures while the opposition strives to prove the report unfounded. The report claims that poverty in India has declined by 22 percent since the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

In an attempt to defend the report, BJP members have started quoting unbelievably low food prices in different cities of India. Elected members of BJP claim that a healthy meal can be bought for less than Rs 15 in both Delhi and Mumbai.

Congress spokesperson Raj Babbar said: “[It was possible to have] full meal at Rs 12 in Mumbai. No no not vada paav. So much of rice, daal saambhar and with that some vegetables are also mixed.”

Another Congress leader, Rasheed Masood, was reported saying: “You can eat a meal in Delhi in Rs 5, I do not know about Mumbai. You can get a meal for Rs 5 near Jama Masjid.”

The ruling party’s comments received harsh criticism from the opposition as the CPI-M accused the government of ignoring reality. On the other hand, Congress ally NCP also expressed its reservations.

According to BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar, the report issued by Planning Commission is part of a conspiracy theory against the poor. He accused the elected members of Congress for aiming to deprive the underprivileged class of welfare schemes. He also challenged the Congress to explain how a man can survive in a daily income of Rs 34.