Although social activists and concerned economists demanded at least Rs. 1 lakh crore to be earmarked in favour of the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the Finance Minister in her budget speech on 1st February allocated only Rs.61,500 crore to it for the financial year 2020-21. As compared to the fund spent on MGNREGA in 2019-20 (i.e. revised estimate of Rs.71,001.81 crore), the amount set aside for the...
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COVID-19 Lockdown: Impact on Agriculture and Rural Economy -Vikas Rawal, Manish Kumar, Ankur Verma and Jesim Pais
-Society for Social and Economic Research Monograph 20/3 Key Messages Lack of planning and preparation by the Central government for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a massive blow to India’s economy and has caused enormous hardships to working people of the country. Harvesting of Rabi crops • Unplanned and sudden imposition of the lockdown resulted in a massive and unprecedented disruption to agricultural activities such as harvesting, sale of agricultural produce, and purchase...
More »The makings of a digital kleptocracy -Reetika Khera
-The Hindu When data is monetised, as the Economic Survey advocates, it becomes toxic and harms public interest Last year, I was denied information requested under the Right to Information Act (RTI) 2005. I had sought the names of agencies empanelled by the Unique Identification Authority of India for an “image makeover” and the expenditure on it. It was denied by invoking the exemption clauses of Sections 8(d) and 8(j), respectively, i.e....
More »Data shows below-normal water storage in India's 72 of 100 major reservoirs
-PTI The scenario is particularly worrying in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra, according to Central Water Commission data With the four-month rainy season nearly halfway through, 72 of the 100 major water reservoirs in the country have reported water storage which is 80 per cent or below of normal, the Central Water Commission data shows. According to the data, until July 25, the basin storage position is deficient in major rivers like...
More »Water reserves in 71 of India's 91 reservoirs have dipped: CWC -Shagun Kapil
-Down to Earth A delay in arrival of the monsoon, especially in western India, will worsen the water woes even further There is a downward trend in water levels in at least 71 of 91 reservoirs across India according to data released by the Central Water Commission (CWC) on June 13. The situation is particularly grim in the north-western region — in Gujarat and Maharashtra — and in the southern states of Kerala...
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