-TheWire.in The Economic Survey 2016-17 devotes a chapter to the provision of a Universal Basic Income (UBI), describing it as a “raging new idea,” a “radical new vision” and “the shortest path to eliminating poverty”. While warning that the UBI “should not become the Trojan horse that usurps the fiscal space for a well-functioning state,” the survey says a de facto UBI can be instituted in the existing “fiscal space”. It...
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Government makes Aadhaar mandatory for availing PDS foodgrains
-PTI NEW DELHI: After cooking gas LPG, the government on Thursday made Aadhaar mandatory for availing subsidised foodgrains from the ration shops with a view to better the target of Rs 1.4 lakh crore subsidy under the food security law. The government has given time to those not having the biometric-based unique identification number to apply for Aadhaar by June 30. The government issued a notification to this effect but did stop short...
More »No direct cash transfers under revised fertilizer subsidy regime -Gireesh Chandra Prasad
-Livemint.com New system to settle dues to fertilizer firms within a week, record detailed transaction data at time of sale New Delhi: The direct benefits transfer (DBT) scheme for fertilizers that will go on trial in eight districts this month will not entail what its name suggests— the transfer of cash to farmers’ bank accounts. Under the direct transfer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) subsidy, customers pay the entire amount for cooking...
More »Centre joins issue with CAG over LPG
-The Hindu The Centre had carried out an exercise to eliminate duplicate, fake, ghost, and inactive accounts New Delhi: The Petroleum Ministry has issued a rebuttal claiming its calculations were correct on the savings on account of direct benefit transfer in LPG cylinders tabled in Parliament. A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General had questioned the method arrived at on the savings, more than 10 days ago. The report, tabled on August 12,...
More »CAG audit nails Centre’s claim on LPG subsidy saving -Josy Joseph and TCA Sharad Raghavan
-The Hindu The audit has also found substantial systemic problems with the Direct Benefit Transfer in LPG scheme, called Pahal by the government. The Centre claims it would end up saving almost Rs. 22,000 crore in the financial years of 2014-15 and 2015-16 since launching its two-pronged approach on cooking gas subsidy — introducing direct bank transfers of the subsidy and asking better off consumers to voluntarily give up theirs. However, a CAG...
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