-The Indian Express The UPA is Banking on cash transfers as a political tool, but it must concentrate on programme design The Congress has been congratulating itself on its newly announced direct cash transfer scheme — P. Chidambaram described it as a game-changer, Sonia Gandhi declared it nothing short of revolutionary, and Rahul Gandhi reportedly claimed that “Aapka Paisa, Aapke Haath” would bring the party generous political dividends. The Congress may have...

-Outlook Hyderabad: Union government is all set to provide loans to women self help groups (SHGs) at the rate of seven per cent from April 1 next year and at four per cent to the target group in 150 selected districts, Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh announced here today. "Loans will be extended to Self Help Groups at 7 per cent from April 1 while in another 150 districts, selected...

-The Times of India Heir apparent Rahul Gandhi on Friday said a successful 'direct cash transfer' can power Congress to victory in the next two elections. "If we get this programme right, we will win the next two general elections," Rahul reportedly told a meeting of Congress chiefs of 51 districts where the cash transfer scheme is to be rolled out. The remark provided the bluntest evidence that Congress is Banking on the...

-Outlook Describing the government's ambitious direct cash transfer scheme as a "powerful tool", Reserve Bank Deputy Governor K C Chakrabarty has said the initiative will help reduce fiscal deficit, which in turn will also bring down inflation if implemented well. "The direct cash transfer scheme will reduce the fiscal deficit, which in turn will facilitate inflation control," Chakrabarty, the senior-most of the four deputy governors at the Mint Road, told PTI in...

-The Hindu The technical glitches that plague cash transfers in Jharkhand may not have arisen with a simpler system that does not need Internet connectivity Pilot cash transfer projects taken up in Jharkhand for MGNREGA wages have achieved little success due to a variety of logistical, human and technological problems. A year after the launch of these projects, the problems remain unsolved. In Ramgarh district, a majority of the beneficiaries are in Dohakatu...