Expense of farmers higher than poverty line

NEW DELHI: The average family expense of farmers is 49 per cent higher at Rs 503 than the rural poverty line at Rs 328, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

Replying to a written question, Minister of State of Rural Development Suryakanta Patil said, "... the average monthly per capita expenditure of farmers at the National level is Rs 502.83 during 2003. If this average is deflated at 1999-2000 prices it works out to be Rs 487.97 which is about 49 per cent higher than the poverty line".

The Minister said this figure is based on the 'Situation Assessment Survey of Farmers' done during 2003 by the NSSO as part of the 59th NSS Round.

To another question regarding shortage of housing in rural areas, Minister for Rural Development Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said the shortfall was as high as 14,833,868 across the country, the highest being 42,102,93 in Bihar followed by Assam with a requirement of 22,412,30 houses.

Andhra Pradesh had a shortage of 13,502,82 houses, while Uttar Pradesh was facing a scarcity of 13,240,28 houses in the rural areas.

The Minister said Rs 99,7110 lakh has been allocated during 2003-07 for construction of houses under the Indira Awas Yojana and a total of 45,31,428 houses have been constructed or renovated.