The Planning Commission on Monday released the latest poverty estimates for the country showing a decline in the incidence of poverty by 7.3 per cent over the past five years and stating that anyone with a daily consumption expenditure of Rs. 28.35 and Rs. 22.42 in urban and rural areas respectively is above the poverty line. The new poverty estimates for 2011-12 will only add to the furore triggered by the...
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Minorities panel to examine nursery admission anomaly by Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar & Bindu Shajan Perappadan
Taking cognizance of the report published by The Hindu on Monday indicating low Muslim representation in this year's admission to nursery classes in Delhi's private schools, the National Commission for Minorities has said that it will urgently look into the matter and take action. National Commission for Minorities chairman Wajahat Habibullah said: “We have got a copy of the letter submitted to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on the issue and...
More »'Rural jobs scheme should have off period during agriculture season'
-IANS States should be allowed to declare an off period for the rural jobs scheme MGNREGA during peak agricultural season, says Sumitra Mahajan, chief of a parliamentary panel on rural development. She also believes extending the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to urban areas - as suggested by the Economic Survey last week - is not practicable unless the scheme is made to include semi-skilled work apart from manual...
More »Poverty line: BJP demands debate in Rajya Sabha
-CNN-IBN The Planning Commission's latest report on poverty rates declining has raised a storm in parliament. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded a reply from the government in the Rajya Sabha on the latest numbers. The Planning Commission on Monday said that the poverty in India has come down in the country during the 2009-2010 period. According to its latest report, the Commission said more than 8 per cent of India...
More »Food bill threat to fiscal discipline
-The Telegraph Annual expenses for the government’s food security programme have been estimated at Rs 112,205 crore, which will make it very difficult for the government to fulfill its commitments on checking fiscal deficit. Food and consumers affairs minister K.V. Thomas disclosed the massive bill on the programme today in the Rajya Sabha, though no mention of this was made in Friday’s budget. Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had just said he would foot...
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