Although social activists and concerned economists demanded at least Rs. 1 lakh crore to be earmarked in favour of the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the Finance Minister in her budget speech on 1st February allocated only Rs.61,500 crore to it for the financial year 2020-21. As compared to the fund spent on MGNREGA in 2019-20 (i.e. revised estimate of Rs.71,001.81 crore), the amount set aside for the...
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Farmers' group not impressed with Union Budget 2020-21
-Press released by All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) dated 1st February, 2020 Delhi, February 1st 2020: Budget fails to increase rural demand and purchasing power which would have boosted the economy - instead, the Budget only boosts the profits of big corporates and MNCs, said AIKSCC. When the crying need in India’s economy is to increase the demand and purchasing power in rural areas, and hence rural incomes, the...
More »Cut in reserve price of rice, wheat will hit FCI -Rajalakshmi Nirmal
-The Hindu Business Line Govt move to clear grain stocks with FCI; Corpn holding 2.6 times the buffer norm In an article dated January 6, 2020 (MSP hike leaves FCI with mountain of grains), BusinessLine had indicated that FCI may have to sell a significant amount of its rice stock in the open market if it has to make room for fresh procurement of paddy and wheat. The time for this has...
More »With stocks piling up, FCI is in deep trouble -Rajalakshmi Nirmal
-The Hindu Business Line Huge losses on procured grains and rising debt are a big concern FCI (Food Corporation of India) is sitting on a mountain of wheat and paddy. In January, the total stock of rice and wheat with FCI was 45.4 million tonnes. This increased to 46.3 million tonnes by April and touched 62.2 million tonnes in May. In July, the stock increased further to 74.2 million which was significantly...
More »Transforming livelihoods through farm ponds -Nirmalya Choudhury & Sachin Tiwale
-The Hindu They can be an effective tool for rainwater harvesting With an increased variability of monsoons and rapidly depleting groundwater tables, large parts of India are reeling under water stress. A number of peninsular regions like Bundelkhand, Vidarbha and Marathwada have been facing recurring drought-like situations. Given the enormity of the crisis, at a recent NITI Aayog meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi explicated the need to implement innovative water management measures,...
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