Apart from gross domestic product (GDP) and gross value added (GVA), another indicator which shows whether an economy is thriving or stagnating is the growth in bank credit. Credit is a critical input in the production of goods and services. It is generally the case that during prosperous times, economic actors, who are engaged in different sectors or in various industry, take up bank loans to invest. The provisional data...

-The Indian Express As per data being examined by the committee, the minimum wages paid to agricultural workers are significantly higher than MGNREGA wages in Karnataka, Punjab, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Mizoram, and Andaman and the Nicobar Islands. THE COMMITTEE for revision of wages paid under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Generation Act (MGNREGA) has found that minimum agricultural wages are higher than MGNREGA wages in 15 states. An upward revision...

-Down to Earth New norms for declaring drought are too stringent to be practical and are indicative of Centre’s intention to pass on the Financial burden to states Karnataka government has opposed Centre’s move to change parameters for drought assessment. The new manual for drought management limits Centre’s scope to offer Financial assistance to states in the eventuality of drought. Unlike the 2009 manual for drought management—which was a mere guideline...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: Electronic payments have become safer for consumers with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introducing the concept of 'zero liability' and 'limited liability' for bank customers for any card or online fraud. The central bank has also made it mandatory for banks to register all customers for text message alerts and permit reporting of unauthorized transactions through a reply to the alert message. The proposal to limit...

-VillageSquare.in Given the complex and varied situations in rural India, the results of the direct benefit transfer method are so far mixed at best and debilitating at worst, as seen in the subsidies for farm equipment and fertilizers Direct benefit transfer (DBT), a system through which government programs transfer funds directly to bank accounts of beneficiaries, is hailed as a major intervention that is expected to cut a whole lot of misdirection...