-The Hindu Office cites ‘diversion of resources’ clause; former CIC Wajahat Habibullah terms it ‘misuse of Act’. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has denied a Right to Information request related to the PM-CARES Fund on the grounds that providing it would “disproportionately divert the resources of the office.” However, a High Court judgment and multiple orders of the Central Information Commission (CIC) have previously held that, under the RTI Act, this Rationale...
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Universal PDS is a better idea than One Nation One Ration Card to ensure food security, says Right to Food Campaign
-Press release by Right to Food Campaign, dated 11th August, 2020 Although One Nation One Ration Card has been projected as a solution to the food insecurity problems that mobile or floating populations face, there are some serious problems associated with the scheme, such as exclusion errors, etc. Instead of the ONOR scheme, the government should universalise the public distribution system (PDS) and open community kitchens in urban areas. Please click here...
More »Right to Food Campaign urges the Hon’ble Minister for Women & Child Development to restart ICDS for children and pregnant and lactating women
-Press release by Right to Food Campaign, dated August 6th, 2020 The Right to Food Campaign has sent a memorandum to the Hon'ble Minister of Women and Child Development Ms. Smriti Zubin Irani demanding to restart the hot cooked meal and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme. It may be noted that most services for women and children have been shut down since March this year i.e. since the time when...
More »In times of pandemic, PDS shops should provide Rations to all -Rohini Pande, Simone Schaner and Charity Troyer Moore
-The Indian Express India should not allow one emergency — the pandemic — to turn into another. Food security problems are not abating and there are clear steps that should be taken before it is too late. In the early days of India’s lockdown, stories of food insecurity were rampant. As “Unlock 2.0” progresses, many analysts hope that labour markets will provide the much needed economic resources to the vulnerable. But amidst...
More »The COVID-19 fiscal response and India’s standing -Amit Basole and Jonathan Coutinho
-The Hindu The relief measures do not seem to be commensurate with the economic disruption caused by the lockdown How does India compare in the quantity and quality of its COVID-19 response to other developing countries? Here we extend our earlier analysis of India’s fiscal response (The Hindu online, “India must enhance fiscal support for COVID-19 relief and rebuilding”, April 18, 2020) drawing on the International Monetary Fund Policy Tracker, the COVID-19...
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