- Poverty estimation in India has a long history of studies.
- The best approach is to look at it in terms of minimum consumption expenditure per person/household.
- This minimum expenditure is derived from minimum expenditure on food and non-food items.
- Minimum food consumption is related to nutritional standards.
- Official data used to be based on consumption expenditure data collected by NSSO.
- Various expert groups (Lakdawala, Tendulkar, Rangarajan) used per capita consumption estimates.
- Multidimensional Poverty Indices (MPI) also provide a holistic view.
- Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 is used for identification of poor.