With the rise in Covid-19 daily new cases and daily new deaths since March this year, media reports (please click here and here) on migrant workers returning back to their native places (i.e. places of origin) from migration destinations (i.e. workplaces likes cities and large industrial towns to where the informal and low skilled workers from the marginalised sections of the society migrate seasonally, and sometimes for a longer duration,...

-The Indian Express The first installment is due between April 1 and July 31. Last year, most beneficiaries received the money in their bank accounts between March 24 and April 20. This year, as April ends, no farm households has received any money. Pune: Amid the surge in Covid-19 cases, the wait of over 9 crore farmer families for the first installment of their PM-Kisan payout for the financial year 2021-22, is...

-The New Indian Express “The man said his money was not bigger than the life of his fellow beings. Several such donations are being received,” CM Pinarayi Vijayan said in his evening media briefing. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Most people don’t mind donating money to a good cause. But only a few would be willing to give away almost all their savings in charity. A beedi worker from Kannur, whose identity is yet to be...

-The Indian Express Temporary denial of food rations is one thing, cancellation of ration cards is far more serious. How many cards have been cancelled for lack of Aadhaar linkage? No one really knows. The Covid crisis has enhanced the dependence of poor people on social security schemes such as the public distribution system (PDS). Many of them, unfortunately, continue to have difficulties in accessing these schemes due to Aadhaar-related problems. Startling findings...

The National Food Security Act 2013 guarantees maternity benefit to the tune of Rs. 6,000/- per child by the Central Government for pregnant women and lactating mothers, barring those who are already availing such benefits while being in regular employment with the Central Government or State Governments or Public Sector Undertakings or under other laws. The NFSA 2013 also legally guarantees free meals for every pregnant woman and lactating mother...