Which committee was set up to review the concept and methodology of the poverty line in India, leading to revised poverty estimates?

Introduction / Context:
Measuring poverty is a major policy challenge in India and several expert committees have been formed to refine the concept and methodology of the poverty line. This question asks specifically about the committee that was set up to review the concept of the poverty line and whose recommendations led to widely used revised poverty estimates.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The committee task was to review the concept of the poverty line.
• The committee proposed changes in methodology and estimates.
• Options list several well known committees, including S Tendulkar and Lakdawala.
• We must identify the committee primarily associated with reviewing the concept of the poverty line in the mid two thousands.

Concept / Approach:
The Suresh Tendulkar Committee, constituted in 2005, was tasked with reviewing the methodology for estimation of poverty in India. It suggested moving away from a purely calorie based approach and recommended using a broader consumption basket with updated price indices. Its recommendations led to new poverty lines and revised poverty ratios that are widely quoted.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Lakdawala Committee had earlier provided methodology for estimating poverty, which was used for many years. Step 2: Recognise that later debate about the adequacy of the old poverty lines led to formation of the Suresh Tendulkar Committee. Step 3: The Suresh Tendulkar Committee was explicitly asked to review the existing methodology and to recommend a new approach. Step 4: Therefore, for the specific task of reviewing the concept and methodology of the poverty line, the correct committee is the S Tendulkar Committee.

Verification / Alternative check:
Many exam notifications and standard reference sources state that current or earlier official poverty lines were based on the recommendations of the Suresh Tendulkar Committee. Some also mention that the Lakdawala Committee methodology was replaced by the Tendulkar methodology. This clearly marks the Tendulkar Committee as the one that reviewed and updated the concept.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Lakdawala Committee: This committee earlier provided the methodology for poverty estimation using calorie norms and separate State specific poverty lines. It was replaced by the Tendulkar methodology for later estimates.
• Wanchoo Committee: This committee dealt with direct taxes and industrial development for backward areas, not with poverty line methodology.
• Dutt Committee: This committee looked into industrial licensing policy and not the concept of the poverty line.
• Rangarajan Committee: A later committee headed by C Rangarajan also examined poverty measurement, but the specific exam question associated with the phrase review the concept of the poverty line usually refers to the S Tendulkar Committee.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse the Lakdawala and Tendulkar Committees because both are linked to poverty measurement. Another pitfall is to forget the sequence of these committees. A simple way to avoid confusion is to remember the chronological order: first Lakdawala provided a long standing methodology, then Tendulkar reviewed and updated it, and later the Rangarajan Committee revisited the issue again. Knowing the time line helps you pick the right committee when the question uses specific wording.

Final Answer:
The committee set up to review the concept and methodology of the poverty line in India was the S Tendulkar Committee.