-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...

-Press Release from Right to Food Campaign dated 26 February, 2018 Ranchi: Thousands of people – men and women, young and old – walked all the way from Nagri Block towards the Chief Minister’s House in Ranchi today to demand an immediate end to the “DBT for food subsidy” experiment in Nagri. They were prevented from reaching the CM’s house, but they did reach the Governor’s house where they held a...

-The Hindu KM Yadav of Kanpur emerges as a saviour for rural people GUNTUR (Vijayawada): An RTI activist from Uttar Pradesh, who runs his office from a tea stall in Kanpur, has emerged as an unlikely saviour for people tired of making rounds to government offices. Krishna Murari Yadav may not flex his muscles like Munna Bhai, but earned the title of K.M. Bhai from the residents of villages around Kanpur for addressing...

-Down to Earth People want Direct Benefit Transfer system to be replaced with old practice of getting rice at Re 1/kg at the ration shop Hundreds have protested against the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme started by the government of Jharkhand by marching from the Katahal Mor area of Ranchi towards the Chief Minister’s house via Piska Mor. The protest was organised jointly by civil society organisations and the major opposition parties...

  Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) or cash transfer might appear attractive on papers, but in reality it is opposed by its beneficiaries when implemented. Something similar to this has happened in the Nagri block of Ranchi district, where cash is being transferred to the aadhaar seeded bank accounts of beneficiaries in lieu of providing subsidized foodgrains. Cash transfers in the public distribution system (PDS) have been in operation in the Nagri block...