Poverty lines
Redefining poverty: a new poverty line for India
Going beyond the calorie measure in defining poverty
Authors:
M. Guruswamy; R.J. Abraham
Publisher:
Economic and Political Weekly, India, 2006
Current Indian poverty measurements, established in 1979, are based on a minimum caloric intake, with rural and urban variation. This paper argues that it is unacceptable for a definition of poverty to overlook other basic life necessities such as proper nutrition, drinking water, shelter, hygiene, clothing, and education. The authors call for a redefinition of poverty in India that takes these other non-caloric needs into consideration. Furthermore, the poverty line should be updated every 5 years to account for changes in established norms.
The paper makes several recommendations, including the following
- minimum shelter requirements for a household should include access to a pucca house with basic amenities including a toilet connected to a sewage system and electrical fittings
- poverty measurements should also include access to clean water, which should be at the very least within 10 to 15 metres of the household, and ideally within the dwelling unit
- states must also ensure that each child’s right to education is being met, by offering accessible schools - government must also ensure that the education system guarantees each student equal opportunities in life.
