-First Post If we are willing to believe the best practice examples of cash transfers from Brazil and Philippines, and trust the UPA on the fact that their cash-for-subsidy is going to be all hunky-dory, we also have a right to believe Sitaram Yechury’s concerns about the fancy plan. According to the CPM leader, the cash transfer is a ploy by the government to dismantle the PDS and systematically reduce subsidies. “This is...
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Direct cash transfer of subsidies through Aadhaar from January 1
-The Hindu Direct cash transfer of subsidies through the Aadhaar card would be rolled out in 51 districts across 15 States from January 1, 2013, Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram announced on Saturday. The scheme would aim to cover the entire country by the end of 2013, he said. Speaking at the annual Bankers’ Conference (BANCON), Mr. Chidambaram said banks would play an essential role in the direct cash transfer, as every...
More »The Coming Famine In India-Binayak Sen
-Mainstream Weekly Dr Binayak Sen, an internationally renowned medical practitioner and social activist (a leading figure in the People’s Union for Civil Liberties), was incarcerated in Chhattisgarh and held in detention in Raipur having been branded as a Maoist for his activities in defence of poor tribals in the State. He is now out on bail. The following is the text of the Arvind Narayan Das Memorial Lecture he delivered in...
More »'Free electricity for farmers is hurting development, not helping it– including farmers themselves'-Lalit Jalan
-The Economic Times There has been a change of guard at the power ministry and Jyotiraditya Scindia, the new man in charge, has described his task as daunting. To simplify the many complexities, it's worth keeping in mind an adage that's particularly apt for rural India: Nothing is more expensive than no power. While on one hand there are thousands of villages that still remain to be electrified, on the other even...
More »MGNREGA badly needs overhaul-V Ramakrishnan and Mukul Asher
-The Business Standard The rural jobs scheme can boost productivity in farm and textiles sector. There is mounting evidence that Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) of 2005, under which 100 days of guaranteed wage employment a year was to be provided to target households, is failing to meet its stated objectives. The total cumulative expenditure since 2005 under the MGNREGA is officially estimated to be Rs 1,50,000 crore, and the...
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