-The Hindu Only 75% of MGNREGS workers have been enrolled; many without Aadhaar number denied access to benefits GOLLAPROLU (EAST GODAVARI, AP): The popular tagline for the Aadhaar-linked Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) is Aam aadmi ka paisa, aam aadmi ke haath (People’s money in their own hands). The DBT pilot project was launched in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh earlier this month, with Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh hailing the scheme...
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In Chhattisgarh, activists oppose plan to outsource diagnostic services -Aarti Dhar
-The Hindu ‘In-patients will have to pay up if private agencies are allowed to use diagnostic centres to serve external customers’ The Chhattisgarh government’s move to outsource diagnostic services in public health facilities has evoked a sharp reaction from health activists, who fear that it will destroy laboratory services. The government has issued a request for proposals for private partnership in radiology and laboratory services in 379 public health facilities. Three categories of...
More »Food bill to cover 67% india, wider coverage in 250 districts -Zia Haq
-The Hindustan Times The flagship National Food Security Bill — whose final contours have now emerged —will give 67% of the population, or about 800 million Indians, a legal right to food aid, while in 250 poorest districts of the country, 90% of the people will be covered. Jammu and Kashmir and the eight northeast states will also get 90% coverage since these areas are considered vulnerable to "food shocks". The bill,...
More »Government plans to introduce direct cash transfer for food subsidy in 6 UTs and ‘willing states’-Urmi A Goswami
-The Economic Times The government plans to introduce direct cash transfer for food subsidy in six Union Territories and 'willing states' for PDS scheme, taking a key step to plug leakages in welfare schemes. In the pilot project, expected to be rolled out from April, beneficiaries will receive the subsidy amount in their bank accounts, and will buy rice and wheat from the fair price shops. The fair price shops will sell...
More »House panel likely to recommend scrapping of household categories-Manoj CG
-The Indian Express The Parliamentary Standing Committee examining the National Food Security Bill is considering to recommend to the government to do away with the categorisation of “general” and “priority” (similar to the below poverty line) households in the legislation and provide uniform food guarantee to 75 per cent of the rural population and 50 per cent of the urban population. Keeping in mind the fiscal implications, the committee is likely to...
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