Lok Sabha Question No. 482 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-05
Subject: Schemes to Eradicate Poverty
Ministry: PLANNING
Asked by: Poonam (Mahajan) Vajendla Rao

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.482 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.02.2020

## SCHEMES TO ERADICATE POVERTY

## 482.  SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN:

Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:

- (a) whether several new schemes with the purpose of eradicating poverty from the country have been introduced by the Central Government during the last three years;
- (b) whether the performance of those schemes has remained as per their target, so far and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the number of families living below the poverty line in the country has declined during that period; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS & PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION

## (RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

(a)  &  (b):  Government  has  introduced  several  new  schemes  with  the  purpose  of  improving livelihood, health and other dimensions of poverty . Some of the important schemes are as follows:

(1)  Ayushman  Bharat: Finance  Minister  in  his  budget  speech  in  2018-19  announced  two  major initiatives as part of ''Ayushman Bharat'' programme aimed at making path breaking interventions to address health  sector  holistically, at primary, secondary and tertiary care systems  covering both prevention  and  health  promotion.  The  scheme  has  two  components.   Health  and  Wellness  Centre (HWC)- by converting 1,50,000 Sub Centres to well  equipped HWCs which will provide holistic primary care system covering both prevention and health promotion, and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana  (PM-JAY)  which  provides  health  protection  cover  to  poor  and  vulnerable  families.  The scheme will cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) with a benefit cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year. It would provide a cashless coverage for most of  the secondary  and  tertiary  services  without  any  co-payment  in  public  and  private  empaneled hospitals. All States except Delhi, WB, Odisha and Telangana have implemented the scheme. As on 31.01.2020 12.01 crore e-cards have been issues, 79.95 lakh hospital admission have been made and 21,662 (46% private) hospitals have been empanelled.

(2) PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana: PM-KISAN Scheme was inaugurated on 24th  February, 2019. It provides for transfer of an amount of Rs.6000/- per year in three equal installments each of Rs.  2000/-  directly  into  the  bank  account  of  beneficiary  farmer  families.  The  Scheme  initially covered only small and marginal farmer families with land holding upto 2 hectares as beneficiaries, subject  to  certain  exclusion  criteria  for  higher  income  status.  The  Government  later  extended  the scheme with effect from 1st June 2019 to all farmer families irrespective of land holding size, subject to  applicable  exclusions.  Since  the  launch  of  PM  Kisan  till  now  about  8.12  crore  farmer  families have been benefitted and more than Rs.48,937 crores has been released under the scheme.

(3) Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana :  PM-KMY inaugurated by the Hon'ble  Prime Minister  on  12th  September,  2019  provides  for  payment  of  minimum  pension  of  Rs.3000/-  per month to the eligible small and marginal farmers on attaining the age of 60 years. It is voluntary and contributory pension scheme, with entry age of 18 to 40 years. The monthly contribution by farmer ranges between Rs.55 to 200. Central Government will contribute an equal amount in the pension scheme. Till now 19, 19, 802 beneficiaries have been registered.

(4) Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM): Government of India has introduced a pension  scheme  for  unorganised  workers  namely Pradhan  Mantri  Shram  Yogi  Maan-dhan  (PMSYM) to  ensure  old  age  protection  for  Unorganised  Workers.  The  unorganised  workers  whose monthly income is Rs 15,000/ per month or less,  belong to the entry age group of 18-40 years,  not covered under New Pension Scheme (NPS), Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) scheme or Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and not  an income tax payer are included. It is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme, under which the subscriber would receive:

(i) The Minimum Assured Pension of Rs.3000/- per month after attaining the age of 60 years, (ii)  Family  Pension  -  During  the  receipt  of  pension,  if  the  subscriber  dies,  the  spouse  of  the beneficiary  shall  be  entitled  to  receive  50%  of  the  pension.  It  is  applicable  only  to  spouse . (iii) If a beneficiary dies due to any cause (before age of 60 years), his/her spouse will be entitled to join  and  continue  the  scheme.  As  on  03.02.2020  40,67,788  enrollments  have  been  made  in  the scheme (source: labour.gov.in/pm-sym)

(5) Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -'Saubhagya' to ensure electrification of all willing households in the country in rural as well as urban areas. The beneficiaries for free electricity connections would be identified using Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data.

(6) There are many other steps taken by the Government in number of other sectors during last three years directly or indirectly having an impact on poverty. These steps deal with different dimensions of  poverty,  viz,  employment  opportunities,  self-employment,  making  essential  commodity  and services available at cheaper cost and providing health, water and sanitation facilities.

(c)  &  (d):  The  official  poverty  estimates  are  based  on  Large  Sample  Surveys  on  Household Consumer  Expenditure  carried  out  by  the  National  Sample  Survey  Office  (NSSO)  of  the  M/o Statistics  and  Program  Implementation.  The  poverty  estimates  for  2011-12  following  the  extant Tendulkar Committee methodology was computed and released through a Press Note issued on 22 nd July 2013. According to this Press Note, the number of persons living below poverty line in India was estimated as 27 crore (21.9%) in 2011-12.