-The Indian Express For the poor, with little cash in the first place, digital promises to ‘swipe’ them out, before their marginalisation is even addressed. Demonetisation is, by its very nature, an autocratic, coercive step. The demonetisation of November 2016 has affected every single Indian. We are, as usual, persuaded to bear the pain and suffering, to “sacrifice” for the nation. The rhetoric continues but it now seems clear that the objective...
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BPL cardholders to get coupons to buy rations from open market
-Deccan Herald Bengaluru: Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cardholders will soon have the option of redeeming coupons for rice and other foodgrain of their choice at general provision stores, if unhappy with the quality of ration supplies. In what appears a departure from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s pet scheme ‘Anna Bhagya’ or rice at highly subsidised rates, the department of Food and Civil Supplies has adopted the new method citing huge shortfall in...
More »MGNREGA hires plummet by 23 per cent in notebandi November -Subodh Varma
-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Modi government's demonetisation move seems to have taken the wind out of the sails of an already faltering job guarantee scheme. The number of households getting work in November dropped by 23% compared to the previous month and those being turned back empty-handed jumped to a staggering 23.4 lakh, almost twice the number in October. Compared to the same month last year, work given this...
More »Bringing PDS out of the abyss -Anjali Bhardwaj and Amrita Johri
-Deccan Herald System overhaul: Transparency measures with strong accountability mechanisms can usher in change The National Food Security Act (NFSA) passed in 2013 gives statutory backing to the Public Distribution System (PDS). Up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population is entitled to receive food grain under the Act. Beneficiaries are categorised into priority households, entitled to 5 kg of subsidised grains per person per month, and Antyodaya...
More »Rural distress -TK Rajalakshmi
-Frontline.in To rural India, which is already reeling under multiple crises, demonetisation has come as yet another blow. WHEN the Prime Minister made the decision to withdraw Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes, he did not quite factor in the impact it would have on agriculture. Despite the rhetoric the concept of digital wallets has not yet entered rural India unlike in much of the country’s urban areas, and much of rural and...
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