In a given year in India, official poverty lines are higher in some States than in others because

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]

(a) poverty rates vary from State to State

(b) price levels vary from State to State

(c) Gross State Product varies from State to State

(d) quality of public distribution varies from State to State

Answer: (b)        

Explanation:

• Poverty lines differ across states due to variations in prices between states.
• According to the Planning Commission’s assessment in 2011-12, the national poverty line for rural areas, calculated using the Tendulkar methodology, was estimated at Rs 816 per capita per month in villages and Rs 1,000 per capita per month in cities.
• The determination of the poverty line is based on the income and consumer expenditure patterns of the population.
• The poverty line is influenced by the cost of the consumption basket, which varies from state to state.