-Financial Express 2022-23 expenses likely to be the second highest since FY21 The government’s food subsidy expenses in the current fiscal are likely to cross Rs 3.1 trillion, up 50% from the outlay made at the beginning of the year. Sources told FE that the estimated food subsidy expenses in 2022-23 would be the second highest since FY21, when the finance ministry had made a provision of Rs 5.4 trillion, of which Rs...

-Livemint.com Public support measures helped India’s small businesses survive the pandemic better than feared The robust recovery of India’s economy from the profound shock of the covid pandemic has expectedly triggered debates about the nature of this recovery. While our economic recovery, as reflected in various supply and demand indicators, is acknowledged by many unbiased observers, an examination of its inclusivity is necessary. As an immediate response to the pandemic, the government put...

-The Hindu Over past 10 days, the Balangir police have prevented 500 workers from migrating to other States KANTABANJI (ODISHA): Juta Majhi was just a few kilometres away from the Kantabanji railway station in Odisha when the Balangir district police intercepted him last week. Mr. Majhi, 38, a resident of Badibahal under the Khaprakhol police station in the district, and his family members were planning to board a train to Karnataka and travel...

-IANS/Business Standard A recent report titled by the National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD) has pointed out that West Bengal's farming sector is lagging behind other states on two crucial counts. A recent report titled "Farmers' Welfare: An analysis across states of India," by the National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD) has pointed out that West Bengal's farming sector is lagging behind other states on two crucial counts. The...

-Ideas for India The share of bank credit extended to MSMEs increased dramatically during the pandemic. In this post, Harsh Vardhan discusses the the government guarantee of bank loans as a possible driver of this growth. He outlines the current policy of providing credit against collateral, and the constraints MSMEs face while borrowing– which leads to decreased investment and firm productivity. He argues that the learnings from the credit guarantee scheme...