The long search for an effective system to target subsidies on food, fertiliser and fuel has finally ended with the Planning Commission accepting the idea of an Aadhaar-based rechargeable smart card. Ideas like direct cash transfers and food stamps have been rejected in favour of the Aadhaar smart card. The new proposal can help target the food subsidy with the tamper-proof biometric cards – Aadhaar unique identity cards – being...
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Labour reform slips out of list as India Inc has greater worries by Devika Banerji
Archaic labour laws are not affecting India's manufacturing sector as much as problems related to land, water, licences and clearances, a government panel's study shows. With the findings of the Planning Commission study, changing rigid labour laws, so far suspected to be the main hurdle before the manufacturing sector, is likely to drop on the government's list of priorities. The sector contributes 15% to India's GDP. "Against popular perception, we...
More »Planning Commission's pat for State
The plan outlay for 2011-12 for Andhra Pradesh has been fixed at Rs.43,000 crore, which is 17 per cent more than last year's (2010-11) outlay of Rs.36,800 crore. This was decided at the meeting held by Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and his team of officials here on Friday with Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and his officers. During the deliberations, Dr. Ahluwalia commended the Andhra Pradesh government by stating that...
More »Depriving dalits of their due by Jayati Ghosh
The arrest of Suresh Kalmadi on 25 April marked yet another scene in the prolonged drama surrounding the Commonwealth Games held in Delhi in October 2010. Yet the general media focus on Kalmadi may have served to distract attention from the many other acts of omission and commission that mark the sordid history of that extravagantly planned and deeply flawed public show. In these other actions, there are stories of funds...
More »EGoM to discuss proposed Food Bill on Monday
An Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on Food is scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss the proposed National Food Security Bill and take a view on the suggestions made by the Sonia Gandhi-headed National Advisory Council (NAC) and Rangarajan Panel. According to sources, the Food Ministry will place the reports of both the NAC and the Prime Minister’s panel headed by PMEAC chairman C Rangarajan before the EGoM for guidance. The...
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