Hitting back at the Congress for criticising the Gujarat Government over the BPl yardstick, the BJP on Monday argued that the States were only following the criteria set out by the Centre.
This criterion was decided by the Centre in 2004 and States were instructed to follow it, the BJP said. “The figures of Rs 501 and Rs 324 as monthly per capita income criteria for urban/rural respectively is a criteria set in 2004 by the Government of India; this was communicated by the Food and Civil Supplies Department to the Government of Gujarat as criteria prescribed by the GoI,” said party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman.
She pointed out that the criteria were not decided by the States but by the Planning Commission under the Central Government. The Central Government is not clear whom they want to call poor, the spokesperson said. Sitharaman said Gujarat Government’s reminder to the Centre to review the Below Poverty line criteria have never been answered to by the Centre.
Based on the Central Government’s asset-based criterion (not only income but assets like television, radio or cycle etc), only 21 lakh families come under the BPl in Gujarat, she said.
“However, clearly understanding that this does not adequately represent all those who should be under the category, the Gujarat Government extended this very same criterion and has brought in 11 lakh more families under the BPl, on its own expenditure”, she said adding this accorded benefits to a total of 32 lakh families in the state. This approach has been appreciated by the Supreme Court as an effective poverty alleviation program, BJP leader said to substantiate her argument.
Sitharaman said the Congress jumps onto everything apparent opportunity to target Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the Gujarat BJP and the Gujarat Government. “This time too, without as much as doing minimum homework, they have jumped into using an issue which upon closer study, only highlight Congress’ own failure”, she said.