-The Hindu Business Line The number of people commuting between rural and urban areas and across geographies has risen dramatically In the last couple of decades, the number of people commuting between rural and urban areas on a daily basis has seen an explosive growth. This includes unskilled workers without a fixed place of work. According to the National Sample Survey Organisation, between 1993-94 and 2009-10, India saw a nearly fourfold increase (from...

-The Hindu Business Line Will seek removal of restrictions in ‘peace clause' India has decided to strike a harder bargain on food security at the World Trade Organisation than it did in July. It wants restrictive conditions attached to the use of the peace clause dropped. New Delhi, which had wanted the ‘peace clause' offering protection against retaliatory action for breaching farm subsidy caps extended indefinitely in return for support to the trade...

-The Indian Express The prime minister's Jan Dhan Yojana (JDY) is, in many ways, an improvement over previous financial-inclusion schemes. And with an aggressive target to cover 15 crore households with basic banking services, including an overdraft facility, debit card as well as accident and life insurance cover, it is the most ambitious attempt yet. However, to achieve its promise, the JDY needs to focus on implementation. As suggested by the...

-The Business Standard A five-state study on the effects of digitisation shows the poor in the country love knowledge-based programmes India's poor love digitisation for the choice and quality it offers. Discovery and National Geographic are the most popular channels in some of the poorest parts of the country, largely because the knowledge-based programmes on these channels are considered a substitute for decent education. And, the poor love shows on agriculture,...

-The Hindu Business Line On the day a ₹ 1,000/month minimum pension scheme was launched in India, an ILO policy paper report said that close to half (48 per cent) of people over pensionable age in the world do not receive a pension. And those who do get a pension, do not receive an adequate amount to cover for their health, and old age-related problems. "As a result, the majority of the...