-The Telegraph Standard model: The state provides a poor woman employment for 58 days a year, under the 100-day job guarantee scheme, at (Bengal's) daily wage rate of Rs 169. Cost: about Rs 20,000 over two years. Alternative: The state provides her an asset - maybe a small grocery - teaches her to run it and monitors her progress while giving a daily stipend for her consumption needs and ensuring basic healthcare...
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NREGA set for an outcome- focussed revamp -Ruhi Tewari
-The Indian Express The rural development ministry, that promises 100 days of guaranteed employment to those issued job cards, has sought to address both concerns in the current fiscal. The MGNREGA has been under scrutiny, of late, both from its traditional baiters as well supporters. The former’s attack has revolved around the programme — the flagship of the previous UPA dispensation — creating assets of poor quality, while the latter have been...
More »Debt, despair and death as farm crisis deepens -Sarbjit Dhaliwal
-The Tribune Grains Of Discontent: The damage to wheat crop due to untimely rain and hailstorm, followed by delayed payments, this rabi season has further stressed Punjab’s farmers. While the cost of farm inputs has risen manifold over the past few years, the profit margin is on a constant decline, thus making farming unviable. Unable to bear losses, several farmers have committed suicide in recent past As the day breaks, he enters...
More »Tractor sales: Mirroring the rural distress -Harish Damodaran
-The Indian Express While tractor sales trebled during FY04-14, the last year saw a reversal in the trend with the agri industry facing multiple issues. If there is one indicator capturing the changes that took place in rural India over the past decade, along with the emerging signs of distress in the last year, it is the sales of tractors. Between 2003-04 and 2013-14, domestic tractor sales more than trebled from under...
More »Rural stress affects farmers even in prosperous states -Mayank Mishra
-Business Standard Greater adoption of cash crops combined with a collapse in the prices of agri-commodities has led farmers to the brink in major agricultural areas According to the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data, nearly 64 per cent of all farmer suicides in the country in 2013 took place in the four states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, raising the question: why is rural stress resulting in farmer suicides...
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