Muslim poverty may bite Narendra Modi at NDC meet in Delhi

On urban poverty ratio among Muslims, Gujarat's figures are the third worse after Bihar (56.5 per cent) and Uttar Pradesh (49.5 per cent) while in rural areas, it's fourth after Assam (53.6), Uttar Pradesh (44.4) and West Bengal (34.4).

The overall BPL population ratio in the country, according to the Tendulkar report, is 29.8 per cent.

Noting that a "perception of discrimination and alienation" is the most "important concern" for Muslims when compared to other minorities, the Plan document has stressed on its "direct targeting" approach.

"Revamp the design, expand the scope and strengthen implementation structures of key initiatives such that minority settlements and people are directly targeted; such direct targeting should be made a condition for approval of all block- and district-level plans," the document stated.

For Modi, the visit to Delhi to attend the NDC meet is also like the customary victory lap after a third straight win at the hustings. He has claimed that his opponents were spreading "lies about Gujarat" in the course of the election campaign and underlined that his win was proof enough.

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