32 or 26 not a waist size

Rs 32 is all one needs to have in his or her pocket to be above the poverty  line in the urban areas and Rs 26 a day for the rural areas. One is not classified poor if one has the spending power of Rupees 32, according to the Planning Commission, who informed the Supreme Court of their findings. This magic figure will not let them withdraw any benefit from the central / state pool;i.e. the welfare schemes which are in place for them.

Think for a moment what you can buy with Rs 32 or Rs 26 ( depending whether you are an urban or rural citizen) for your average sized family with two children and aged parents. The index which keeps on rising never coming down, the inflation rate which cases havoc is making it impossible for the ordinary citizen to survive. In today's survey conducted amongst a  sample of the society it was found that the group of teenagers ranging from15 to 19 yrs could not fathom a day where they could survive on this measly amount for a day. Why  ,a pack of chips and a cd ( cold drink ) costs Rs 25! How is one going to survive and then a recharge for a mobile, and then money for a geri route? It was preposterous, says  Hartaaj ,an engineering student. 

Baani , a university going student thinks that it was a joke , the survey being conducted.All the kids thought it was a stunt for a reality Tv show so popular in today's times . None of them thought you could survive on such a pathetic measly amount.

We are entering the next year with our head held high , overtaking Japan, as the third largest economy in the world, one of the only countries not to suffer recession,overtaking the world with the high quotient  intellect pool and exceeding everyone's expectation in being self-sufficient . This figure presented today is a pathetic testament to a country  which is making mockery of its citizens. What can you buy for this ? A few grams of dal, a meagre amount of flour , no vegetables, no milk , no nutritional portion. No clothes, or shoes to wear. Any illness,or unforeseen accident leaves them vulnerable to the age-old money lending system which has broken their back-bone. This never-ending vicious cycle does not let them rise. A migrant worker from UP says, that due to the untimely rains, heavy monsoons they do not get daily work which has left them eating rice with ,watered  down dal . 

How will Rs 26 cover any illness, where the slip to just go beyond the reception area to enter the haloes in front of the doctor's room costs Rs 10?How is he going to afford the course of antibiotics which costs a minimum of Rs 78 for 3 days ( according to Indian Chemists Association) ? This was just illness, how is he going to send his kids to the government school? Yes, we proudly say we have a mid-day meal program, but with infested rice, where the actual good supply of quality rice/porridge is filtered away by the anganwari lady and if made is cooked by the kids in dismal conditions. Oh, the rich person who has Rs 32 in his pocket is also supposed to allocate from this amount his rent, electricity , water bill . These are the basics we are counting, anything over and above this is frivolous. He can only dream of entertainment, or visiting the heritage of this mighty country . The common man is disillusioned , left to fend on his meagre amount, his only defense, his armor of being poor has been snatched from him by the acclaimed economists who have dictated the dictum for the majority of Indians.

We , the Annas of today , the Rang De Basantis will lose our voice not because corruption will break us but just because we never got a proper meal.

Is this figure to hide /manipulate millions for the ever hungry politician who sees this as a plank for votes to line his coffers which have no bottom?

Ravneet Sangha .