-PTI The Odisha government today said its cheap rice scheme would not be affected after the Centre introduced direct cash transfer to beneficiaries. "We do not feel that the state government's Rs 2 a kg rice programme will be affected. This is because the Centre has decided not to include food subsidies in the direct cash transfer system in the first phase," said state Finance Secretary J K Mohapatra. Mohapatra said the direct...
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Cashing in on schemes for poor -Narendar Pani
-The Hindu Any political benefit the Congress hopes to reap in 2014 will come at the cost of reducing the effectiveness of social welfare schemes In getting its ministers to endorse the shift to cash transfers from the AICC office in New Delhi, the Congress has highlighted the political nature of the move. The party clearly expects cash transfers to play the same role for it in 2014 that the National Rural...
More »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 »Odisha Opposes Direct Cash Transfers to Backward Areas
-Outlook An Odisha minister today dubbed as impractical direct electronic cash transfer of subsidies to beneficiaries in backward regions. "How can it be possible when a large number of people in Odisha do not have bank accounts?" Odisha's Food minister P K Deb questioned. "The basic objective of the public distribution system to arrest hunger among the poor will be defeated if the beneficiaries are provided cash instead of cheap food," the minister...
More »Agricultural wages and NREGA: Exploring the myth-Kanika Mahajan
-Live Mint Charges that NREGA has pushed up agricultural wages fails to account for changing productivity In the debate over the costs and benefits of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MgNREGA), one of the most controversial and unsettled issues is its effect on agricultural labour market. Last year, Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar even went to the extent of recommending a 50% subsidy to farmers in wage costs due...
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