-The Hindu The Modi government is determined to dismantle the two-pronged welfare paradigm. It is now an established fact that one area where the Narendra Modi administration has acted with a sense of purpose, urgency and resolve is in slashing social expenditure. Be it education, health, agriculture, livelihood security, food security, panchayati raj institutions, drinking water or the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes sub-plan, central government funds earmarked for social protection have been cut. The...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday outlined the next phase of the Jan-Dhan Yojana to include credit, insurance and pension as he complimented bankers for near 100% coverage of households under the massive financial inclusion drive. The Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana is a key policy plank of the Modi administration's vow to eradicate what it calls "financial untouchability". Each bank account comes with an accident insurance...

-The Hindu Maharashtra on Thursday launched an online portal for Right to Information (RTI) applications. The web portal (www.rtionline.maharashtra.gov.in) can be used by citizens of the State to file online applications as well as first appeals under the RTI. The portal, available in both English and Marathi, informs applicants about the status/progress of their pleas. The fee for the application can be paid via internet banking or debit/credit cards. On submission of...

-PTI NEW DELHI: Emphasising that ample credit to the tune of Rs 7 lakh crore flows in the agricultural sector every year, the government today said it is taking "speedy" measures to help farmers who are grappling with debt burden. "We will not let down our farmers," Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha told Lok Sabha during Question Hour. He said many steps have been taken to reduce debt burden as...

-Business Standard Restricts scope of life insurance cover to bring down burden on the exchequer The government has started applying exclusion principles to its inclusion scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY). The life cover of Rs 30,000 announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for all those opening a bank account under the scheme will now exclude many. The finance ministry has put several riders for defining one's eligibility for a life...