Poverty shows declining trend since 2004-05; Planning Commission says that India aims to achieve 9.5 per cent growth in 12th plan

Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia said poverty has shown a declining trend from 2004-05 as per the preliminary data available with the Commission. Speaking in New Delhi yesterday, he said the  Commission has considered the Tendulkar Committee recommendations which had suggested that poverty should be estimated on the basis of consumption based on cost of living index instead of caloric intake. Mr. Ahluwalia said that in every area, there has been progress.

Poverty declines by 5% in 2009-10 says Planning Commission

Poverty in the country has declined by five percent to 32 per cent in 2009-10.Disclosing this in New Delhi yesterday Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia said poverty has shown declining trend from 2004-05 as per the preliminary data available with the Commission.

12th Plan to target 9-9.5 pc GDP: Montek Singh Ahluwalia

Raising doubts over feasibility of achieving 10 per cent average economic expansion in the 12th Plan (2012-17), Plan Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said the next plan would target GDP growth of 9 to 9.5 per cent in the next five years. 'If you ask me personally, I think setting target of 10 per cent (GDP growth) as an average for 12th Plan, is not feasible.it would be somewhere between 9 to 9.5 in next Plan period," he told reporters ahead of the meeting of the full Planning Commission. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wants the Commission to aim at higher growth target for 10 per cent during the 12th Plan, as against 8.2 per cent estimated in the current plan.