While some may view the food security Bill as the instrument of combating poverty, this distinction belongs to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the flagship anti-poverty programme of the United Progressive Alliance government. The proponents of the food security Bill at the National Advisory Council have promoted it as the instrument of fighting widespread and rising hunger, instead. But what is the empirical basis of the claims of widespread and...

Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar’s suggestion to ban Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) during farming season may not get government’s approval. Instead, the MGNREGA guidelines may be amended to increasing synergy between the world’s biggest social security scheme and agriculture sector to improve production. A set of green methodologies could be included in works allowed under the scheme. Pawar had written to Prime Minister on November 28 seeking the ban....

In 2010-11, India produced 121 million tonne of milk, which is close to 17% of global milk production. During the year, dairy cooperatives collected 9.6 million tonne of milk, a growth of around 1% over last year. Liquid milk marketing by cooperatives increased by around 4% over the previous year and was about 8.2 million tonne in 2010-11. Explaining that higher GDP growth, increased incomes in rural areas through schemes like...

-IndiaInfoline.com   Indian Labour Conference in its 43rd session recommended to increase the number of working days along with the guaranteed statutory wage under MGNREGA. Government has ruled out increase in the number of working days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme from the existing 100 days to 200 days, saying such a move will result in a competitive disadvantage towards agricultural productivity. Indian Labour Conference in its 43rd session...

-Press Information Bureau   The National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) has launched an Education Loan Scheme for students belonging to scheduled Tribes in the country in the month of November, 2011. The requirement for availing benefits of the scheme are that the annual family income of the Scheduled Tribe candidate shall be upto double the poverty line and the candidate is willing to pursue technical/professional education, including Ph.D. in...