I have read with interest the report “Bhagwati versus Sen: What’s going on?” (July 25). Whenever I read views on such matters especially on development or poverty among economists, I recollect an interesting event in my life.
On April 8, 1972, I came from a village in Haryana to attend a seminar on the subject “Quit Poverty – How?” at Delhi’s Gandhi Peace Foundation. It was my first seminar in Delhi and I had the opportunity to listen to Moraji Desai, A M Khusro, C Subramaniam and other prominent economists. At that time my purpose for attending the seminar was to identify who is poor in my village. The discussion was on estimating the number of poor in India — living below the poverty line or just above the poverty line. I could not follow what they meant by “below the poverty line?” So, I asked Moraji Desai, “What should be the income of a person who should not be called poor?” His answer, after consulting others, was “Rs 192 and Rs 172 for a family of five members residing in urban and rural areas respectively.” The discussion ended with estimating the total number of people living below the poverty line.
Even today economists have not been able to offer any solution to accurately identifying who is poor. C Rangarajan is the head of a commission that is yet to submit a report to redefine poverty or how to measure poverty or who should be called poor. We have the Abhijit Sen Committee which is yet to identify who should be entitled to the benefits meant for the poor.
The fact is this that India has a reservoir of economists who are experts at speaking English. I do not know what useful purpose is being served in discussing Bhagwati versus Sen. All the economists are respectable, well educated but have no idea of how to remove poverty. All of them are good at giving lectures to the central and state governments.
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On April 8, 1972, I came from a village in Haryana to attend a seminar on the subject “Quit Poverty – How?” at Delhi’s Gandhi Peace Foundation. It was my first seminar in Delhi and I had the opportunity to listen to Moraji Desai, A M Khusro, C Subramaniam and other prominent economists. At that time my purpose for attending the seminar was to identify who is poor in my village. The discussion was on estimating the number of poor in India — living below the poverty line or just above the poverty line. I could not follow what they meant by “below the poverty line?” So, I asked Moraji Desai, “What should be the income of a person who should not be called poor?” His answer, after consulting others, was “Rs 192 and Rs 172 for a family of five members residing in urban and rural areas respectively.” The discussion ended with estimating the total number of people living below the poverty line.
Even today economists have not been able to offer any solution to accurately identifying who is poor. C Rangarajan is the head of a commission that is yet to submit a report to redefine poverty or how to measure poverty or who should be called poor. We have the Abhijit Sen Committee which is yet to identify who should be entitled to the benefits meant for the poor.
The fact is this that India has a reservoir of economists who are experts at speaking English. I do not know what useful purpose is being served in discussing Bhagwati versus Sen. All the economists are respectable, well educated but have no idea of how to remove poverty. All of them are good at giving lectures to the central and state governments.
S C Aggarwal New Delhi
Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number