-The Times of India HYDERABAD/ VIJAYAWADA: With another round of talks between the government and protesters failing to end the impasse over bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the misery of denizens is increasing every minute across strife-torn Seemandhra. From a foundry worker in Vijayawada to an upper middle class banker in Visakhapatnam, the two-month strike, which has gathered more steam now has spared none, with heartrending stories of people suffering across the roiled...
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Marginal rise in middle and high-end rail passenger fares-K Balchand
-The Hindu Monthly season tickets and passengers in suburban trains exempted from hike While exempting almost half of its passengers from additional burden, the railways have increased fares by roughly 2 per cent to offset increased fuel expenditure. However, those travelling in Duronto will have to pay as much as Rajdhani passengers with effect from Monday. The railways have also increased freight charges by 1.7 per cent across the board from next Thursday. With...
More »Midday meals face funds hurdle -Akshaya Mukul
-The Times of India NEW DELHI: UPA is going to town for having delivered on its promise of food security. But, come December and this promise would fall flat as many government schools are likely to go without midday meal (MDM). The reason: the food ministry's new missive to the HRD ministry that like other food schemes, MDM would also have to make pre-payment before lifting foodgrains from Food Corporation of India...
More »Doing a number on FSB-Ashok Kotwal, Milind Murugkar and Bharat Ramaswami
-The Financial Express In an article published in this newspaper on September 4, 2013, Surjit Bhalla takes us to task for critiquing his earlier estimates of the cost of the Food Security Bill. Bhalla asserted that subsidy expenditures would more than triple and the FSB would cost the government R3,14,000 crore annually or 3% of GDP. We argued that Bhalla was barking up the wrong tree and that the main things...
More »Correct costs of the Food Security Bill-Bharat Ramaswami, Milind Murugkar and Ashok Kotwal
-The Financial Express Food Security Bill will raise the subsidy burden by 18%. The debate should be about the rise in costs of households due to leakages in PDS and price hike of other nutritious food items, and how these costs can be minimised by DBT In a recent article, Surjit Bhalla ("Manmonia's FSB: 3% of GDP", July 6, Financial Express-http://goo.gl/qoIbd3) has asserted that the Food Security Bill will cost 3% of...
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