The Food Security Act was UPA-2’s flagship programme. Jean Dreze, member of the National Advisory Council, has publicly criticised the government. He tells VAIBHAV VATS what’s gone wrong. Much like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in the first term of the United Progressive Alliance, the Food Security Act was its most ambitious social welfare programme. Since discussions on the Act in the National Advisory Council began, its provisions...
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Population stabilisation target date pushed back to 2070 by Aarti Dhar
It's extremely difficult to achieve it by 2045: Azad With the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) continuing at 2.8 per cent, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has pushed back the target date for achieving population stabilisation to 2070 from 2045, stipulated in the National Population Policy (NPP) 2000. It is “extremely difficult” to achieve it by 2045. At the current rate of implementation, we expect population stabilisation to be achieved only...
More »NAC's compromise proposes wider food security coverage by Smita Gupta
The National Advisory Council (NAC) — which has been working hard over the last month to try and narrow down its differences with the Planning Commission and the government on the contentious issue of food security — is meeting here on Saturday to look at an amended proposal. The NAC's food hardliners have finally accepted, after several informal interactions with the Commission and government representatives, that universalisation of food security...
More »Expert group on universal health coverage set up
It will develop blueprint to achieve ‘health for all' by 2020 Recognising the importance of defining a comprehensive strategy for universal health coverage, the Planning Commission has set up a high level expert group to develop a blueprint and investment plan for meeting the human resource requirements to achieve ‘health for all' by 2020. The 15-member high level group on universal health coverage, chaired by K. Srinath Reddy, president of the Public...
More »Difference in BPL figures startling: judge by J Venkatesan
Supreme Court questions the norms and method adopted by Centre to identify such families The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned the norms and method adopted by the Centre in identifying below the poverty line (BPL) families, as the figures furnished by it and the States were at variance and the State governments had complained of inadequate supply of foodgrains. Earlier, senior counsel Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the People's Union for Civil Liberties,...
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