-Livemint.com Linking MSPs to a multiple of costs and ignoring other dynamics, such as demand and global prices, risks creating distortions and disincentivizing productivity Government policymaking seems to be making a volte-face from supporting consumers (by keeping Food inflation low), to supporting producers (by raising Food prices). In the 2018-19 Union budget, the government “decided to keep minimum support prices (MSP) for all unannounced crops of kharif at least at one-and-a-half times of...

-The Telegraph Ranchi: Food and civil supplies minister Saryu Roy on Tuesday said there was "nothing wrong" in direct benefit transfer (DBT) piloted in Nagri block, against which beneficiaries, Opposition and activists staged a Monday padyatra to Raj Bhavan, citing mass glitches in cash transfers to banks. Roy said he reached this conclusion after carefully analysing PDS supplies in Nagri. "I want to say that 83 per cent beneficiaries are smoothly getting ration...

-Livemint.com The strategy for doubling farmer incomes will differ from state to state, and from one region to another even within a state After two consecutive years of drought, in 2014-15 and 2015-16, farmers of many crops were hit by low market prices in several states in 2016-17. In view of widespread discontent, there is a sense of urgency about addressing their issues. Therefore, the conference organized by the ministry of agriculture...

-The Pioneer Ranchi: A large number of ration card holders from Nagri and activists of Right to Food Campaign, led by noted socio-economist Jean Drèze on Monday marched to Raj Bhawan demanding immediate withdrawal of  ‘Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for Food subsidy’  and restore the old system of providing rice at Re 1 per kg to the poor people at ration shops. Drèze, who was stopped at Raj Bhawan by the district...

-The Times of India RANCHI: Jharkhand government's Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme, introduced last year for ration distribution, has serious flaws, an audit by Right To Food (RTF) Campaign has revealed. After the pilot DBT scheme was introduced in October 2017 at Nagri block in Ranchi district, residents could no longer purchase rice at Re 1 per kg from ration shops and instead had to wait for transfers to their bank accounts....