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SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR : Sir, I am not asking any question. But the answer of the hon. Minister is very disturbing. He says that after 1993, there is no statistics available, to know whether the number of people below poverty line has increased or decreased. If that was the case, then, on what basis, has the Government been making claims ? In spite of the reports from the foreign institutions and also the national institutions, which say that the number of people below poverty line has increased, all the time, the Government has been claiming that it has made tremendous progress in this sphere. But now the hon. Minister says here that he has no statistics about that.

SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR : Then, I want to know, on what basis, they are making claims.

SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR : So, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for the time being the country should take that the Government has no basis to say that poverty has decreased. If they are saying that, it is just indulging in juggleries. That is what I have been saying. The international position is very difficult. All over the world, people living below the poverty line has increased. If wonders are being done by the Government of India, it has nothing to do with this question. Here is a lecture given by a very eminent economist. He has talked about the whole world. Mr. Finance Minister, poverty is not measured by statistics. Poverty is known by the experience of the people living in the countryside. Those who know or have some knowledge about countryside will say that poverty has increased.