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NPC refutes Oxford report
KATHMANDU, JUL 16 -
In the wake of a report that made a startling revelation about Nepal’s poverty, development experts have made a knee-jerking reaction downplaying the document.
A research conducted by the Oxford University for the United Nations Development Fund stated that Nepal’s poverty has soared to 65 percent. Official figure of Nepal’s poverty level is 25.4 percent by 2008 down from 31 percent as per the Nepal Living Standard Survey 2003/04.
The officials on Friday maintained that the figures differed due to different indicators used in the research.
Officials said the government figure is based solely on income (affordability to consume essentials) while Oxford’s study is multidimensional with additional indicators, such as income, health status, living standard and education.
“Official figure and Oxford figure both are scientific but the conclusion differed due to different indicators,” said Puskar Bajracharya, a National Planning Commission (NPC) member at a press meet. The NPC clarified on the issue as the Oxford report of soaring poverty level invited a shock wave across officials and academia.
Lauding the Oxford’s findings, NPC Vice Chairman Jagadish Chandra Pokharel said it has
triggered a debate over how the poverty should be measured. The Oxford study has adopted a multidimensional approach to define poverty and the study will be included in the 20th anniversary edition of the UNDP Human Development Report, according to Oxford University.
The Oxford measured poverty level on the basis of daily income of US$ 1.25 plus education, health services and living standard. Education covers schooling and enrollment, health covers child mortality and nutrition and living standard comprises access to electricity, sanitation, drinking water, flour, cooking fuel and asset ownership.
“The poverty level has figured high due to poor sanitation and asset ownership status although there has been significant improvement in other indicators,” said Bajracharya.
However, NPC maintained that it would continue with the existing methodology of poverty mapping and the target of poverty reduction has been fixed on the basis of existing methodology for the upcoming interim plan being prepared.
“We have been adopting the existing method since 1995 when we conducted first living standard survey,” said Uttam Narayan Malla, director general of the Central Bureau of Statistics. “We continue to adopt the same formula to show change in indicators over the period,” he added.
Posted on: 2010-07-17 09:24
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