-The Hindu We need to rethink social safety nets in India’s growing economy so that they can also focus on the accidents of life rather than solely on the accidents of birth. Sometimes the grand narratives of the Left and the Right do not seem to have any relationship with the lived experiences of ordinary Indians. For the past two decades, the Left has tried to expand social welfare programmes for the...
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From plate to plough: The arhar challenge - Ashok Gulati & Smriti Verma
-The Indian Express The incentive structure, currently skewed in favour of rice and wheat, needs to become crop-neutral High prices of pulses are upsetting the food budget of many poor families. Soaring retail prices of dals — urad at Rs. 170/kg, tur/arhar at Rs160/kg, gram/chickpea at Rs 127/kg, moong at Rs 111/kg and masoor at Rs 100/kg — have made dal a luxury for the dal-bhaat and dal-roti eating population. But not...
More »Every 4th person categorised as ‘beggar’ in India is Muslim -Zeeshan Shaikh
-The Indian Express Share of Muslims in official 3.7 lakh ‘beggar’ population is disproportionately larger than the community’s share in country’s population, show Census data. Mumbai: Muslims make up 14.23% of India’s population. They are, however, nearly 25% of the 3.7 lakh individuals who have been listed as beggars by the Government of India. Activists claim that the data — released last month — on the religious orientation of those deemed ‘non workers’...
More »Rajasthan farmers ditch guar, switch to pulses this time -Mahim Pratap Singh
-The Indian Express The Rajasthan government, too, is providing a subsidy of Rs 2500 per quintal for certified seeds, besides a 50 per cent subsidy on micronutrient and bio-pesticides. Jaipur: Farmers in Rajasthan are looking towards pulses to reap, what seems for now, a double dividend from good southwest monsoon rains as well as remunerative prices. Sowing of kharif pulses — mainly moong, moth and urad — has already been completed in 22.75...
More »Govt faces opposition flak in RS over Aadhaar-linked sops
-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha had to be adjourned thrice in the pre-lunch session on Thursday amid an uproar as the opposition targeted the government, alleging people were being denied essential benefits, including subsidised LPG and pensions, for not having Aadhaar card. MPs from SP, TMC and BJD had given a notice for discussion on the issue and demanded it be taken up when the House assembled in the...
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