Jammu, Mar 6: About one fifth of the population in J&K falls in Below Poverty Line (BPL) category, with about 98 per cent among them living in the rural areas, says the Economic Survey. The ES which was tabled in the Legislative Assembly yesterday says that nearly 24.21 lakh persons are poor in J&K (21.63 per cent) of which 22 lakh live in the rural areas and only 2.21 lakh in urban areas.
The poverty graph, according to the ES, has however shown constant decrease. As per the ES the poverty was 30.34 per cent (Rural) 9.18 per cent (Urban) and 25.17 per cent Combined (R+U) in 1993-94.
“The poverty ratio during past years has decreased by 14.06 per cent (3.54 percentage points) from the base year 1993-94”, the ES reads. But the absolute poverty has shown an increase from 19.05 lakh (R), 1.86 lakh (U) and 20.92 lakh (C) in 1993-94 to 22 lakh, 2.21 lakh and 24.21 lakh respectively till in 2007-08.
On the state level, the data tabled by the government, says that in rural areas the Kashmir division with 26.58 per cent has more BPL population percentage as compared to Jammu division with 25.61 per cent. While Jammu division at 8.19 per cent has more urban poverty percentage as compared to that of Kashmir division with 7.81 percent.
In Jammu division, the total estimated BPL population is 10.59 lakh with a dispersion of 9.69 lakh persons in rural areas and 90 thousands in urban areas. “Degree of poverty becomes more visible and pronounced among the people who live away from the urban business centres and district headquarters”, the report reads.