Living standard in Maharashtra has improved: Planning Commission

Mumbai, May 17 (UNI) The living standard of people in Maharashtra has improved the percentage of people living below the poverty line, which has dropped to 16.2 per cent in 2006-07 from 25 per cent in 1999-2000, according to a Planning Commission report.

Bihar has the highest poverty rate at 43.2 per cent while Tamil Nadu has the lowest at 6.6 per cent, the report said.

The poverty rate in the country was 26.1 per cent in 1999-2000 while it has come down to 19.3 per cent in 2006-07, an official release here today said.

Poverty rate in Maharashtra has come down to 17 per cent from 23.7 per cent in 1999-2000 in the rural parts, while in urban areas, the rate has come down to 15.2 per cent from 26.8 per cent.

The state has excelled in implementing various rural development schemes such as Swarna Jayanti Gram Rozgar Yojana and others, the release said.

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