Question

The concept Jail Cost of Living' is associated with

• A. Inflation
• B. Education
• C. Poverty
• D. Health

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Poverty

The Concept of 'Jail Cost of Living' and its Association with Poverty

• The term 'Jail Cost of Living' or 'Jail Cost of Diet' was an early and influential concept used to estimate the Poverty Line, particularly in the context of India.

• It was introduced by Dadabhai Naoroji in his book 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India' (1901).

• Naoroji calculated the cost of living for an average prisoner in a jail to determine the minimum subsistence diet required for survival.

• He then extended this calculation to a common man, considering the non-earning dependents (children, elderly) and adjusting the diet to estimate the minimum income required for basic survival in the country.

• This method essentially provided an early, rudimentary way to define absolute poverty, focusing on the inability to meet basic physiological needs.

• The 'Jail Cost of Living' thus represents one of the earliest attempts to quantify the poverty line based on a specific basket of goods and services (primarily food).