Poverty and Unemployment (Social Development) Part-II

Total Questions: 54

51. As per the estimates of Planning Commission, which State had the highest number of poor people living below the poverty line in 2011-12? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2014]

Correct Answer: (c) Uttar Pradesh
Solution:As per the Planning Commission report of 1990-2000 the highest percentage of the people living below the poverty line was in Odisha (47.1%). As per the new estimates of poverty released by the Planning Commission in July, 2013 (Tendulkar methodology), States with highest poor population and with highest poverty percentage in the year 2011-12 are as follows:
Five States with Highest Poor PopulationFive States with Highest Poverty Percentage
StateNumber of poor (in lakh)StatePoverty Ratio (in%)
Uttar Pradesh598.19Chhattisgarh 39.93
Bihar 358.15 Jharkhand 36.96
Madhya Pradesh 234.06 Manipur 36.89
Maharashtra 197.92Arunachal Pradesh 34.67
W. Bengal 184.98Bihar 33.74
Total India 2697.83India 21.92

As per NITI Aayog's Report 'National Multidimensional Poverty Index: A Progress Review 2023, five States with highest multidimensional poverty headcount ratio in 2019- 21 were as follows: Bihar (33.76%), Jharkhand (28.81%). Meghalaya (27.79%), Uttar Pradesh (22.93%) and Madhya Pradesh (20.63%).

52. The Planning Commission has updated recently the poverty estimates for the year 2011-12. According to these estimates what is the percentage of population below the poverty line in Rajasthan? [R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 2013]

Correct Answer: (c) 15 percent
Solution:As per the poverty estimates released by the Planning Com- mission (Tendulkar methodology) in July, 2013 for the year 2011-12, the percentage of population below the poverty line in Rajasthan was 14.71. Hence, option (c) is the correct answer. According to these estimates, 102.92 lakh people were living below the poverty line in Rajasthan in 2011-12.

53. Poverty-Ratio based on the methodology adopted by Dr. C. Rangarajan Expert Group was incorrect for the State for year 2011-12 in relation to the population of the State of: [R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 2013]

Correct Answer: (b) Chhattisgarh - 37.9%
Solution:According to the method adopted by Dr. C. Rangarajan Committee the proportion of poverty at all India level (2011- 12) is 29.5 percent; in Chhattisgarh 47.9 percent, in Goa 6.3 percent, and in Rajasthan is 21.7%.

Therefore option (b) is incorrect. As per the Rangarajan methodology, in India in the year 2011-12, five States with highest poverty ratio are: Chhattisgarh (47.9%), Manipur (46.7%), Odisha (45.9%), Madhya Pradesh (44.3%) and Jharkhand (42.4%).

As per the Rangarajan methodology, in India five States with lowest poverty ratio are: Goa (6.3%), Himachal Pradesh (10.9%), Kerala & Punjab (11.3% in both) and Haryana

It is to be noted that the government did not take a call on the report of the Rangarajan Committee.

54. Which of the following States has the minimum percentage of population below poverty line? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2011]

Correct Answer: (c) Himachal Pradesh
Solution:As per the latest estimates released by the Planning Com- mission in July, 2013 (Tendulkar methodology), in the year 2011-12, seven States/UTs with minimum poverty ratio were as follows: Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1.00%), Lakshadweep (2.77%), Goa (5.09%), Kerala (7.05%), Himachal Pradesh (8.06%), Sikkim (8.19%), and Punjab (8.26%). Thus, among the given options, option (c) is the correct answer.