-TheWire.in Food rights group says this is just a changing of goalposts, questions why rules have not been formulated and state food commission not constituted despite court nudge. New Delhi: Though in order to overcome the problem of exclusions faced due to Aadhaar-linked Point of Sales (PoS) machines installed at ration shops, the Delhi cabinet today approved the scheme for doorstep delivery of rations under the Public Distribution System, food rights activists...

-Down to Earth What is the use of strategy when no special budget was allocated to double farmers’ income, says a senior NITI Aayog official anonymously In a two-day closed door meeting on doubling farmers’ income, the government claimed that there is no lack of funds to implement a seven-point strategy devised to double farmers’ income by 2022. The national conference, Agriculture 2022 - Doubling Farmers’ Income, which ends today, hosts sessions...

-TheWire.in In the gender Budget, the Modi government has not done much more than pay lip service to policies that impact women. Soon after the Union Budget was presented, the PMO tweeted Modi as saying: “Special emphasis has been given on women empowerment in the Budget.” A high-voltage communication campaign followed highlighting key proposals for women, including an increase in commitments for the Ujjwala scheme to provide free gas connections to eight crore...

-TheWire.in Why has India chosen the path of expanding medical insurance instead of a more comprehensive approach to health? The concern with rising inequities in access to medical care, rising out-of-pocket expenditures and unmet treatment needs have been addressed with yet another Targeted medical insurance scheme for poor households. The idea of a Targeted medical insurance is not new. Several southern states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka had introduced such schemes many...

-TheWire.in The Dalit and Adivasi community’s analysis of the budget shows gross under allocation – only 50.7% has been allocated towards Targeted schemes for SCs and 51.24% for STs. On the 26th January 1950, we are going to enter into a life of contradictions. In politics we will have equality and in the social and economic life we will have inequality. In politics we will recognize the principle of one man one...