-Down to Earth Poor, elderly not able to match fingerprints on system, not getting food grain as a result Thousands of poor villagers have been pushed to the brink of starvation in Bihar as the biometric system installed to curb leakages in the public distribution system (PDS) is proving to be the stumbling block on their way. The Food and Consumer Protection Department in the state has made it mandatory for use of...
More »SEARCH RESULT
Logistic constraints: Few takers among retail biggies for direct purchase from farmers -Prabhudatta Mishra
-Financial Express Except Madhya Pradesh, no other state has so far acted upon the Centre’s advisory, leaving farmers, the intended Beneficiaries of the move, high and dry. The Centre’s April 4 directive to states, asking them to facilitate direct purchase of farm produce including grains, pulses and fruits and vegetables by big retailers, aggregators and food processors hasn’t produced any immediate results. Except Madhya Pradesh, no other state has so far acted...
More »Bengal village starves as ration cards mortgaged with money lenders -Pronab Mondal
-The New Indian Express The poor labourers deposit their ration cards as guarantee for borrowing money to bear treatment expenditure or conduct weddings. KOLKATA: Almost an entire village in Purulia district is starving as ration cards of around 50 families of tribal daily wagers are mortgaged with the local money lenders. The Beneficiaries are now being deprived of the free food grains through public distribution system (PDS) as announced by Bengal chief...
More »No ration cards, no food supplies. Hunger stalks rural India -Sayantan Bera
-Livemint.com The list of PDS Beneficiaries has not been updated for over five years and excludes many children and women NEW DELHI : It’s well past lunch hour, but 50-year-old Bitaiya is yet to step into her kitchen. Her meagre supply of wheat flour was scraped clean the night before. So, whether she—a daily wage earner whose husband died of tuberculosis a few years ago—and her two children, seven- and 16-year olds,...
More »Nirmala Sitharaman announces Rs. 1.70 lakh crore package for poor
-The Hindu Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a Rs. 1.70 lakh crore package which is likely to benefit 80 crore people. In her second media conference in a week, Ms. Sitharaman announced a slew of welfare decisions as the nation is under lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic. Here are the highlights from her speech: * The Finance Minister announced ₹1.70 lakh crore package Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana, targetting 80 crore people. *...
More »