Amidst uncertainty over India's performance in terms of agricultural production and livelihood security of rural population, the Union Budget of 2016-17 will be presented by Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley on 29 February. Given the extent of drought in more than 10 states of India during 2015-16, it is expected that the NDA Government will allocate more resources for rejuvenating the rural sector. Since the country has seen two years of...
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Drug pricing: a bitter pill to swallow -Feroze Varun Gandhi
-The Hindu Medicines remain overpriced and unaffordable in India. In a country mired in poverty, medical debt remains the second biggest factor for keeping millions in poverty. The international pharmaceutical industry has found its cash cow in India’s beleaguered consumers. With a Minimum Wage of Rs.250/day for a government worker, a basic wage worker afflicted with a chronic disease like multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis faces penury. His treatment, with drug combinations, which works out...
More »'The soul of women and life of the poor': Five women explain why MNREGA works for them
-Scroll.in/ People’s Action for Employment Guarantee The rural jobs guarantee scheme completes 10 years this month. The world’s biggest public works programme completes 10 years this month. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was enacted in September 2005, with the purpose of guaranteeing 100 days of employment in villages to any household willing to do manual work at Minimum Wage. It started from 200 districts in February the next year....
More »Improper Implementation of MGNREGA in Telangana -G Rajendra Kumar
-TheHansIndia.com The ongoing drought is fuelling distress migration from districts in Telangana, a trend that was witnessed in the early 2000s. The severe drought conditions for the second consecutive year have led to crop failure, mounting debts, chronic unemployment and failure of the NREGA scheme, especially in the districts of Mahbubnagar, Medak, and Adilabad, forcing large-scale exodus of farmers and others. The fruits of a people’s movement and the world’s largest anti-poverty...
More »The 'making' of rural India -Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey and Shankar Singh
-Deccan Herald Just recall the scene in parliament when the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was passed in 2005. In Lok Sabha, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee put forth the motion – “Those in favour, say aye” – a unanimous chorus rose from the packed Lok Sabha. “Those against, say no,” – there was dead silence. “I think the ayes have it!” he said – and a seminal, landmark legislation became a reality. As then...
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