Srinagar, Jan 29: Chairman of J&K Civil Society Forum (JKCSF), Abdul Qayoom Wani, has strongly advocated for a revision in the criteria for determining Below Poverty Line (BPL) status in Jammu and Kashmir.
He emphasized that the contemporary survey parameters, which focus on the size and structure of houses and the extent of landholdings, do not reflect the actual economic condition of families in the region.
JKCSF firmly believes that household income should be the primary determinant for BPL classification, as a significant portion of J&K’s population is burdened with loan liabilities. The current system, which excludes families based on the type of houses they live in or the land they own, is unjustified. Given J&K’s cultural legacy of building concrete houses—even if through interest-based loans—such factors should not be used to disqualify households from BPL benefits, reads the statement.
Furthermore, JKCSF has urged the authorities to automatically include laborers and small-scale farmers in the BPL category. The organization highlights that J&K, as a welfare state, must recognize the struggles of these sections, particularly given the low productivity of small landholdings and the continuous decline in crop and fruit yields over the past decade.
Abdul Qayoom Wani stressed that it is imperative for policymakers to acknowledge the financial distress faced by the people and to ensure that the BPL survey criteria are aligned with ground realities. JKCSF calls upon the government to revisit and revise the classification process so that those truly in need receive the assistance they deserve.
