-The Hindu Business Line Implementing a national agricultural market is about more than just setting ASIde minor funds in the Budget Finance minister Arun Jaitley announced in the Budget that the coverage of the National Agricultural Market (e-NAM) would be extended from 250 mandis (markets) to 585 across the country. This is just a reiteration of what was planned when the e-NAM was launched, in April 2016. Jaitley has also sanctioned Rs....
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MGNREGS discussions must go beyond budget allocations -Dipti Jain
-Livemint.com MGNREGS has to cover significant ground to evolve as an effective demand driven asset creating public work programme Union finance minister Arun Jaitley’s claim that he was making the highest ever allocation to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in this year’s budge made headlines. Here are five questions which can help understand why MGNREGS related discussion needs to go beyond talks of budgetary allocation. * Is 2017-18 record allocation for...
More »Unemployment has risen sharply among SCs & STs in last 6 years
Amidst concerns over budgetary cuts in social sector spending, a recent statement from Shri Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State for Planning reveals that unemployment rate has risen much sharper among the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) vis-à-vis the overall population. Replying to a starred question by Shri PL Punia regarding Human Development Index (HDI) of SCs and STs, the Minister of State for Planning said on 6 February,...
More »Getting a handle on water for agriculture use -Ashok Gulati & Gayathri Mohan
-The Indian Express In Budget 2017-18, a sum of Rs 7,377 crore has been allocated to the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, a 42 per cent jump over the revised estimates for FY17. India is home to 17.5 per cent of the world’s population, but has only 4 per cent of the fresh water resources. Agriculture consumes some 78 per cent of the fresh water supply. With increASIng urbanisation and industrialisation, India...
More »Focusing on domestic growth -Krishnamurthy Subramanian
-Livemint.com One of the key trends underlying huge concentration of wealth and incomes is the increASIng return to capital versus labour Given the demonetisation undertaken by the government in November 2016, the current budget was presented at a historic moment in the Indian economy. To understand the government’s emphASIs on the rural economy, we have to understand a key narrative that must influence economic policies in democratic countries. As several governments in developed...
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