'India's poverty lies in the eyes of the beholder.' In light of this statement, examine the need for a credible and periodically updated poverty estimation framework in the country.

Poverty measurement in India is subjective and lacks standardized framework:

Problems with existing approaches:

1. Different methodologies give different poverty figures

2. Inability to capture multi-dimensional aspects of poverty

3. Data collection intervals create temporal gaps

4. Regional variations not adequately reflected

5. Informal economy and informal workers excluded

Need for credible framework:

1. Unified poverty line across states

2. Periodic updates (annual or biennial)

3. Multi-dimensional poverty index (includes health, education, living standards)

4. Real-time data collection using technology

5. Disaggregated data by gender, caste, region

6. Transparent methodology accessible to public

Benefits:

1. Better targeting of welfare schemes

2. Evidence-based policy making

3. Accountability in development programs

4. International comparison

5. Monitoring of SDG targets

Conclusion: Need for systematic, transparent, periodically updated poverty framework for inclusive development