-The Indian Express Rahul Gandhi’s proposed scheme will do more harm than good if it comes at the cost of existing subsidies for the poor. Congress president Rahul Gandhi signaled the earnestness of his party’s resolve to end poverty and hunger by announcing an untried policy instrument — a Minimum Income Guarantee for the poor. “Millions of our brothers and sisters” could not be allowed to “suffer the scourge of poverty”...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Thinking beyond “rain basera”, the ordinary shelters for the homeless, Delhi government is now working on a proposal to set up working men’s hostels. Though at a conceptual stage, the hostels would provide dedicated beds to the working class in a dormitory with the provision of a community kitchen and recreational activities at a monthly Rent of up to Rs 1,000, said sources. The hostels would be...

-The Hindu Known as world's largest slum, Dharavi has another less known but more important identity. It is one of the most industrious localities in Mumbai, with small units of leather, garment, plastic and even bakery shops. Post-demonetisation, this huge production house is facing acute financial stress. Rahul Ingale, 32, is depressed. Sitting in his shop in Shastri Nagar of Dharavi, Mumbai, Ingale, who deals in the leather market, is facing a...

-TheWire.in The new vision wants youth to figure out education and skills on their own but still expects them to be the drivers of economic progress. Piyush Goyal, presenting the interim budget, called it a road map for peoples’ development – a fitting description for an election year budget. Accordingly, it contained the expected sops to farmers (income support), to the middle class and home owners (increase in income tax and Rental...

-TheWire.in On January 1, an 80-year-old woman died of starvation. The family slipped through the many government schemes meant to provide relief. Outside her deceased mother’s Rented house in Mahuadanr block of Jharkhand’s Latehar district sat Bhagiya Birjain. Bhagiya, a widow, lived in a nearby settlement after her marriage. She was the first to arrive after hearing that her mother, Budhni Birjiyan, 80, died while she was alone, on the night of...