-Scroll.in Like Chhattisgarh earlier, now West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh are covering over 80% rural poor under the ration system, and have reduced grain pilferage. Is the public distribution system in India irreparably dysfunctional, or can it effectively provide nutrition and economic support to the poor? In the last three years since the National Food Security law was passed, a number of state governments have expanded the provision of subsidised foodgrain, and the...
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Where is the grain, ask Food Act beneficiaries -Suvojit Bagchi
-The Hindu Gaya (Bihar)/ Gumla (Jharkhand): It was a few tense minutes for nearly 1,000 residents gathered under a shamiana in Bharno block office in Gumla district, about 50 kilometres south of Ranchi. The crowd was awaiting the arrival of Sunil Kumar Keshari, the ration shop dealer of Bharno. “Out of 200 residents of Pandarni village, only three can get rations from Keshari’s shop,” said Sukramani, a resident of the village. Clearly it...
More »People seek answers from district admin for food security lapses
-GovernanceNow.com A report on public hearing at in Gumla of Jharkhand Jharkhand has reached a make-or-break point in the battle against hunger. For the first time, the National Food Security Act (NFSA) makes it possible to ensure that no one sleeps on an empty stomach. Many people, however, are still struggling to secure their entitlements under the Act. By way of reality check, a careful survey of NFSA was recently completed...
More »Yogendra Yadav, political scientist and co-founder of non-profit Swaraj Abhiyan, speaks to Livemint
-Livemint.com New Delhi: Back from a walk through drought-affected parts of the country, Yogendra Yadav, political scientist and co-founder of non-profit Swaraj Abhiyan, speaks on state compliance of Supreme Court orders, a booming private water market in Marathwada, and why farmer movements are weakest at a time when agrarian distress is at its peak. Edited excerpts from an interview: * You just came back from a trip to Bundelkhand and Marathwada. What...
More »Nikhil Dey of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) speaks to Civil Society
-CivilSocietyOnline.com For the past decade state governments have launched a series of Internet-based initiatives to deliver services more efficiently. Technology has been seen as the best way of bypassing red tape and corruption in the system to reach the poor directly with benefits. Beneficiaries are identified through biometrics and a series of tech solutions like smart cards, micro ATMs and so on. The result of these efforts is that India is...
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