Newmai News Network Aizawl | June 20 As many as 56,584 families in Mizoram are still living Below Poverty Line (BPL) which is 19.63 per cent of the total number of households of over 2.8 lakh, according to BPL baseline survey 2016 released here on Wednesday. According to the 2011 general census, Mizoram has a population of over 10.91 lakh, which is now estimated to be around 11.2 lakh. The BPL baseline survey released by the State Planning and Programme Implementation Minister, Lalsawta said that Lawngtlai district in the southernmost part of the State has the highest number of BPL families at 13,162 out of the total number of households of 20,163 followed by Aizawl district at 12,668 out of 37,997 households. Champhai district bordering Myanmar has the least number of BPL families at 2715 out of 29,043 households. Mamit district in the western corner of the State has the highest percentage of BPL families at 35.64, while Champhai district has the lowest percentage at 9.35, the survey said. According to the survey, Aizawl has the highest number of households at 92,779 followed by Lawngtlai district at 61,593, while Serchhip district has the lowest number at 13,841. The BPL baseline survey was conducted since 2016 based on the proposal of Tendulkar Committee and the parameters made by the United Nations. The survey pointed out that five villages in Champhai district - Pamchung, Rabung, Tlangmawi, Chawngtlai and Riangtlei---- are BPL free villages. There are 864 villages in all eight districts of Mizoram. The number of BPL families in the State has drastically gone down by 41 per cent from the last list prepared in 2015, as in that year, over 1,37, 800 families were living under below poverty line. It can be noted here that, Mission Antyodaya, the Central government's programme to eradicate poverty in the country was launched in Mizoram in October last year covering at least 183 villages in all eight districts under first phase.
