Planning Commission's new toilets: lessons for us

Why are toilets called restrooms? I never googled for an answer to this question, but the leaked photographs of the Planning Commission's recently upgraded toilets, together costing Rs 35 lakh, provide the answer. The toilets are swanky, spacious and access is limited to just a few busy, high officials; indeed, a preferred place for rest. Insiders say these toilets are so spacious that one may feel lonely, even for that five-10 minutes one is inside.

Planning Commission to SC: Rs 26 a person a day the 'adequate' poverty line

In an affidavit to the Supreme Court on September 20, the Planning Commission has provisionally put the poverty line at Rs 965 per capita per month (Rs 32 per day) for urban areas and Rs 781 per capita per month (Rs 26 per capita per day) in rural areas. This has been arrived at by applying the price level in June 2011.

Who are the poor?

India's poverty line finally makes headlines. Do a rapid archival search of newspapers, at least of the past 20 years, and one finds that the poverty line never made it to the front pages. In post television boom, it never featured on prime time. But the past one week has been exceptional.  “Rs. 25/person/day” replaced the other recent magic figure, “Rs. 1,76,000 crore”—the value of the 2G spectrum scandal. A powerful contrast that drew anger and awe. It is understandable.

Poverty level will increase if health expenditure included

India's poverty level will go up by 3.6 per cent in rural areas and 2.9 per cent in urban areas if people's expenditure on health is factored in while measuring poverty.

Inheritance of loss

Poverty is becoming hereditary in India, at least for a sizeable population. That is the conclusion derived from a three-decade tracking of poor households in rural India.

GDP ignores cost to the environment

At a time when courts hog headlines, this was a conspicuous slip. About two months ago, the Uttarakhand High Court admitted a public interest petition on making gross environmental productivity a co-indicator of the state of the economy along with the standard gross domestic product (GDP). The media did not take note and there was not much discussion on its significance.

Who are the poor?

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