Poverty Measurement · Committees · MPI · Unemployment Types · Govt. Schemes — BPSC / BSSC
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Absolute Poverty | Individuals/communities living below the poverty line; first used by Sir John Boyd Orr (first Director-General of FAO); measured on the basis of minimum subsistence levels |
| Relative Poverty | Lack of income/consumption compared to average living standard; measured using Lorenz Curve (Max O. Lorenz, 1905 — income inequality) and Gini Coefficient (Corrado Gini, 1912 — income/wealth inequality) |
Poverty Line: Level of income or consumption expenditure below which a person is considered poor. Poverty is based on consumption expenditure.
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Uniform Recall Period | Food and non-food items considered for the last 30 days |
| Mixed Recall Period | Food items over 30 days; non-food items over 365 days |
| Name / Committee | Year | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Dadabhai Naoroji | 1867–68 | First study of poverty in India; used cost-of-living theory; first poverty line estimate in "Poverty and Un-British Rule in India"; ₹16–35 per capita annual income |
| VM Dandekar & N. Rath | 1971 | First scientific method for poverty line; first use of calorie basis; 2250 calories/day → not poor |
| Y.K. Alagh Committee | 1979 | 2400 calories in rural areas; 2100 calories in urban areas |
| Lakdawala Committee | 1993 | Separate CPI for rural and urban areas; CPI-IW for industrial workers; CPI-AL for agricultural labourers |
| Suresh Tendulkar Committee | Formed 2004; Report 2009 | Introduced cost-of-living concept; 6 Basic Needs (Education, Health, etc.); 2011–12 Poverty Line by MPCE: Rural ₹816/month (₹27/day) → 25.7%; Urban ₹1000/month (₹33/day) → 13.7%; Total: 21.9% |
| C. Rangarajan Committee | Formed 2012; Report 2014 | Minimum consumption expenditure: Rural ₹972/month (₹32/day); Urban ₹1407/month (₹47/day) |
At present, the poverty line is estimated on the basis of data collected by NSSO (MoSPI).
The three dimensions are Health, Education, and Standard of Living, represented through 12 indicators.
Unemployment: A person willing to work at the prevailing wage rate may not get any work. Major cause: Overpopulation.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Seasonal Unemployment | In agriculture; only 7–8 months of work in a year, no work for the remaining months |
| Frictional Unemployment | Time gap between leaving one job and joining another |
| Disguised Unemployment | Zero marginal productivity — more workers employed than needed |
| Cyclical Unemployment | Job loss due to market fluctuations, typically in developed countries |
| Open Unemployment | Unemployment situation with negligible work |
| Structural Unemployment | Mismatch between workers' skills and job requirements |
| Long-term Unemployment | Situation of unemployment for a long duration |
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Normal Status | Employment for less than 183 days in a year |
| Current Weekly Status | Not even an hour of work in a week |
| Current Daily Status | Work only a few days in a week, searching for work on remaining days; used since the 11th Five-Year Plan |
| Programme | Year | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| PM Vishwakarma | 2023 | Financial support to traditional artisans and craftsmen |
| PM YUVA Yojana | 2021 | Nurtures young writers under 30 years of age |
| PM Ji-VAN Yojana | 2019 (Amended 2024) | Promotes advanced biofuel projects; develops ethanol from surplus biomass and agricultural waste |
| PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana | 2020 | Free food to more than 80 crore people |
| Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) | 2020 | Supports holistic development of street vendors |
| PM Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan | 2020 | Provides assistance to migrant labourers across the country |
| One Nation One Ration Card | 2020 | Subsidised food grains from government ration shops, portable nationwide |
| PM Shram Yogi Maandhan Pension Yojana | 2019 | For unorganised sector workers earning up to ₹15,000/month (aged 18–40); pension of ₹3000/month post age 60 |
| Programme | Year | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Ayushman Bharat Yojana | 2018 | World's largest insurance scheme; ₹5 lakh health insurance |
| National Vayoshree Scheme | 2017 | BPL elders and senior citizens; physical aid and assisted-living devices |
| PM Matru Vandana Yojana | 2017 | DBT to pregnant women and lactating mothers for the first child; maternity benefit post-delivery |
| PM Vaya Vandana Yojana | 2017 | Pension insurance for those aged 60 years or above |
| Project SWAYAM | 2017 | Provides free quality education |
| PM Ujjwala Yojana | 2016 | LPG connections to BPL families; financial assistance of ₹1600 per family |
| PM Awas Yojana (Gramin) | 2016 | Housing for all rural families by 2029 |
| Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission | 2016 | Integrated rural development projects |
| PM Suraksha Bima Yojana | 2015 | Age group 18–70 years; ₹20 annual premium; ₹2 lakh on death/permanent disability, ₹1 lakh on partial disability |
| Atal Pension Yojana | 2015 | Pension for unorganised-sector workers aged 18–40; pension after 60 years |
| Beti Bachao Beti Padhao | 2015 | Preventing female foeticide and promoting education |
| Deendayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana | 2014 | Rural electrification for all households |
| PM Adarsh Gram Yojana | 2009–10 | Prioritises villages with over 50% SC population; 36,000 villages covered |
| MGNREGA | 2005 | Each rural household guaranteed at least 100 days of unskilled work per year |
| Topic | Key Fact |
|---|---|
| Poverty (Amartya Sen) | Multi-dimensional problem |
| Lorenz Curve | By Max O. Lorenz (1905); Income inequality |
| Gini Coefficient | By Corrado Gini (1912); Income/wealth inequality |
| Absolute Poverty | First used by Sir John Boyd Orr (FAO) |
| Head Count Ratio | % of population below poverty line |
| First Poverty Study India | Dadabhai Naoroji (1867–68) |
| First Calorie-based Poverty Line | VM Dandekar and N. Rath (1971); 2250 cal/day |
| Y.K. Alagh Committee | 1979; Rural: 2400 cal, Urban: 2100 cal |
| Lakdawala Committee | 1993; CPI-IW (industrial workers), CPI-AL (agri labourers) |
| Tendulkar Committee | 2009; MPCE-based; Rural: ₹816/mo; Urban: ₹1000/mo; 21.9% poor |
| Rangarajan Committee | 2014; Rural: ₹972/mo; Urban: ₹1407/mo |
| MPI | By NITI Aayog (2021); 3 dimensions; 12 indicators |
| Highest Multidimensional Poor | Bihar (2023 report) |
| Lowest Multidimensional Poor | Kerala (2023 report) |
| Disguised Unemployment | Zero marginal productivity; more workers than needed |
| Bhagwati Committee | 1973; Proposed 3 concepts of unemployment measurement |
| Working Age Population (India) | 15–59 years; OECD: 15–64 years |
| Unemployment Rate Formula | (No. of Unemployed ÷ Labour Force) × 100 |
| MGNREGA | 2005; 100 days unskilled work guarantee per rural household |
| Ayushman Bharat | 2018; ₹5 lakh health insurance; World's largest insurance scheme |
| Beti Bachao Beti Padhao | 2015; Preventing female foeticide; promoting education |
| PM SVANidhi | 2020; Street vendors holistic development |
| PM Suraksha Bima | 2015; ₹20 premium; ₹2 lakh on death/permanent disability |
| Atal Pension Yojana | 2015; Unorganised sector; pension after 60 years |