Inflated BPL data?

IN Haryana, startling new data shows that 70 per cent of the population falls below the poverty line (BPL). This is up from 44 per cent just two years ago, with 75 lakh additional people joining the ranks of the poor in this short span. While these figures raise concerns about worsening poverty, they also suggest potential data manipulation aimed at securing benefits from state welfare schemes, possibly with official connivance. Haryana’s use of Parivar Pehchan Patra registration, requiring only self-declared income to issue BPL cards, raises questions on the validity of the data. The state’s income threshold for BPL eligibility was recently raised to Rs 1.80 lakh per household. It lacks robust verification.

The Aadhaar-enabled Public Distribution System (PDS) data, which significantly expanded BPL registrations without strict oversight, exposes a potential loophole in the welfare system. It seems that the government focus has shifted from reducing poverty to merely expanding the BPL rolls. Such growth in beneficiary numbers could be exploited by officials involved in the process. What is worrisome is the probability of welfare resources reaching not just the truly needy but also those fabricating eligibility for state benefits.

The state government’s public commitment to economic growth appears at odds with this data. While Haryana ranks as a ‘frontrunner’ on NITI Aayog’s SDG index in goals like ‘decent work’ and ‘economic growth’, the sharp increase in the reported poverty figures contradicts these achievements. The manipulation of BPL data also paints a misleading picture of the state’s progress. This, in turn, undermines genuine poverty alleviation efforts and erodes trust in governance. To restore credibility, Haryana must address these discrepancies by enforcing stricter verification measures and holding the data-compiling bodies accountable. Real progress will happen only when data reflects a more honest portrayal of poverty in the state.