This paper examines the issue of the appropriateness of using National Sample Survey 28th round data for setting the official base year poverty line. The poverty lines, as per the alternative base years according to the data of NSS 27th and 26th rounds, which are based on much larger sample sizes, are found to be significantly higher. The paper also brings out the fact that the rural-urban difference in the average daily per capita calorie requirement of the Indian population as per the official statistical system narrows significantly with the suggested change in the classification of worker population, which is by no means unrealistic or unwarranted.