The correct answer is (c), Dandekar & Rath.
Dandekar and Rath were the first to introduce the concept of a poverty line in India in their 1971 report, “Poverty in India.” They defined the poverty line as the minimum income required to meet the basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter. They estimated that the poverty line in India was Rs. 20 per capita per month in rural areas and Rs. 25 per capita per month in urban areas.
Dandekar and Rath’s work was influential in shaping the government’s approach to poverty alleviation. The Planning Commission adopted their definition of the poverty line and used it to measure poverty in India. The Planning Commission also used Dandekar and Rath’s work to develop poverty alleviation programs, such as the Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) and the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY).
The concept of a poverty line has been criticized by some economists. They argue that it is arbitrary and does not take into account the different needs of different people. They also argue that the poverty line is not a good measure of well-being, as it does not take into account non-monetary factors, such as access to education and healthcare.
Despite these criticisms, the concept of a poverty line remains an important tool for measuring poverty and designing poverty alleviation programs.