Tendulkar Committee Poverty Basis

The Tendulkar Committee report (2009) is recognized for its methodology in estimating poverty. This method updated the poverty line by considering contemporary consumption patterns and expenditure required to achieve a minimum standard of living, which includes essential non-food items alongside nutritional norms. This focus on expenditure needed for a minimum standard implicitly relates to the concept of the cost of living.

Committee Focus on Poverty

• Tendulkar Committee: Utilized updated consumption data and expenditure norms, closely aligning with cost of living adjustments for poverty lines.
• Lakdawala Committee: Focused on calorie requirements and used specific price indices (CPI-IW) to update poverty lines.
• YK Alagh Committee: First established poverty lines based on fixed nutritional (calorie) needs and the expenditure required to meet them.
• Shah Committee: Recommended defining poverty based on a minimum standard of living, but the Tendulkar Committee's approach provided a more updated framework linked to expenditure.

The Tendulkar Committee's methodology is therefore the most relevant option when considering the cost of living as a basis for identifying poverty among the choices provided.