new delhi the debate over poverty levels in the country found resonance in the economic survey with the report stating that 605 of the population was capable of spending only rs 20 a day as per the latest national sample surveya wide range of poverty numbers have been floating around from different government agencies with the n c saxena committee being the latest the planning commissions estimate has been the most conservative at 275 while the national commission on enterprises in the unorganised sector in its report had suggested that 77 of the total population in 200405 could spend less than rs 20 a day per personthe poverty figures are drawn on the basis of the minimal nutrition required per person for a healthy living and the ability to purchase the nutrition in terms of a food basketthe debate got stronger with the upas ambitious food security act on the anvil the proposed scheme is meant to provide foodgrain at rs 3 per kg to households below the poverty lineredefining of the poverty line is bound to have a profound effect on the spread of the social security net as well as the subsidy bill of the governmentwhile the food ministry had recommended curtailing the scheme to merely 591 crore people the n c saxena committee has suggested that half the households in the country should avail bpl schemesthe economic survey said poverty levels had gone down over the years of liberalisation but pointed out that malnutrition rates had been stuck at a serious level