This article documents and then examines the various benefits that, it is claimed, will flow from linking the Unique Identity number with the public distribution system and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. It filters the unfounded claims, which arise from a poor understanding of how the PDS and NREGS function, from the genuine ones. On the latter, there are several demanding conditions that need to be met in order...

In the pre-budget Economic Survey 2010-11, the Union finance ministry made a strong pitch for the pro-growth impact of investment in human capital adding, “fortunately, there is awareness of this in India and efforts are afoot in terms of budgetary allocation and actual initiatives to boost the development of skill and human capital.” Given this leading comment, it was only natural that Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee laid special emphasis...

The public instructions department has finally found a solution to address the increasing number of anaemic children in primary schools. Following directions of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), officials of the mid-day meal programme are considering increasing the dosage of iron tablets provided for children at schools. A NRHM official said: “We had directed the mid-day meal officials to take appropriate measures to overcome anaemic problems amongst students. We also...

The headmistress and a teacher of a primary school in Burdwan have been arrested for allegedly selling off 250kg of rice meant for the midday meal scheme. The matter came to light on Tuesday when two farmers in Gonna village, where the school is situated, saw headmistress Banasri Thakur Mukherjee and teacher Joydeb Gorai “slip into” a grocery shop minutes after a cycle van carrying six sacks stopped in front of...

By stubbornly overruling the National Advisory Council, the government risks defeating its purpose as a body that speaks for the poor and the disadvantaged. HAS the Manmohan Singh government begun to regard the National Advisory Council (NAC) as an adversary who should be undermined? Going by their exchanges on key issues such as food security, wages under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), and the implementation of the Scheduled Tribes...