Question

Poverty has been defined on the basis of recommended nutritional requirements of ____________ calories per person per day for rural areas and ____________ calories per person per day in urban areas.

• A. 2,100; 2,400
• B. 2,400; 2,100
• C. 2,700; 2,400
• D. 2,500; 2,300

Hint:

Remember that the calorie requirement for rural areas is higher than for urban areas due to the higher level of physical activity. This simple logic can help you select the correct option (2400>2100).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Definition of Poverty Line:
India initially defined its poverty line by assessing the minimum calorie intake needed for survival. The Planning Commission used this approach, based on the Y. K. Alagh Committee's 1979 recommendations.

Step 2: Calorie Requirements:
The committee distinguished calorie needs for rural and urban populations based on work types.

Rural: Rural residents, typically doing more physical work (e.g., farming), needed a higher calorie intake. The standard was 2,400 calories daily per person.
Urban: Urban residents generally had less physically demanding jobs. Therefore, a lower calorie intake was suggested. The figure was 2,100 calories per person per day.

Step 3: Summary:
The recommended nutritional needs were 2,400 calories for rural areas and 2,100 calories for urban areas.