CHANDIGARH: If the Haryana govt data tabled in the state assembly on Wednesday is accurate, the state has experienced a staggering six-fold rise in poverty over the past five years. According to official figures, the number of below poverty line (BPL) families in Haryana stood at around 8.67 lakh in 2020-21 but has now skyrocketed to 51.83 lakh.
On an average a family has around four members – this means Haryana, on an average, has more than 2 crore people in the BPL category.
As per the Economic Survey of Haryana 2023-24, the estimated population of the state was 2,53,51465, of which 1,65,09,359 is rural and 88,42,103 is urban.
If the latest data pertaining to the number of BPL families is correct, of Haryana’s estimated population of 2.53 crore, over two crore is living below the poverty line. This latest data also contradicts the claims of the BJP govt, which came to power consecutively for the third time, it has made Haryana one of the most prosperous states in the country.
Interestingly, the state’s economic survey (2023-24) also provides that Haryana’s per capita income is Rs 2,96,592 against the national average of Rs 1,72,276.
This latest data on BPL families was provided in the Haryana assembly on Wednesday by Krishan Bedi, the minister for social justice, empowerment, welfare of SCs and BCs, in response to a question asked by Pooja Chaudhary, the Congress MLA from Mullana. The Congress legislator had asked about the year-wise number of BPL families in the state during the last five years. She had also asked about the output of the steps taken by the govt to upgrade the status of BPL families to Above Poverty Line (APL).
The minister responded that the state govt is implementing several schemes for uplifting the downtrodden and improving their quality of life. The steps taken include food security through the Right to Food Act, social security measures like financial assistance via Old Age Samman Allowance (Pension) Scheme, Pension to Widows and Destitute Women Scheme, Divyang Pension Scheme and several other similar social security schemes, Mukyamantri Antyodaya Parivar Utthan Yojana to uplift the poorest of the poor families and several scholarships for the needy students.
Numbers spiked with change in dept
The data related to BPL families was initially prepared by the food civil supplies and consumer affairs department. However, the responsibility was shifted to the Citizen Resources Information Department (CRID), which was set up to handle the govt’s flagship Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) and started maintaining all such data, including family income, etc. The CRID is also responsible for preparing data related to all residents of the state.
Who is eligible for BPL
As per the Haryana govt norms, a person is living below the poverty line (BPL) if the family income is 1.80 lakh per annum. Income-tax payees, govt/contractual employees and govt pensioners those families with income above Rs 1.80 lakh per annum and families whose annual electricity bill is more than Rs 20,000 are excluded from BPL. The state govt has also provided some criteria based on land holdings, etc.
