-The Telegraph Published by the University of Bonn in Germany, the findings are significant at a time workers have again begun returning home amid a Covid resurgence in India The rural job guarantee scheme and the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Yojana provided work to less than eight per cent of the migrant workers who had returned home after last year’s lockdown, a study has found. It has argued that the highly skilled returned migrants...

-Article-14.com Over 3 years to 2020, as India’s farm crisis deepened, 18 insurance companies running Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s crop-insurance scheme rejected nearly a million claims. As pandemic and pestilence devastated farms, we reveal how the scheme’s complex fine print frustrates farmers and disregards individual loss Hisar, Haryana: As 2020 began, Haryana cotton farmer Ramandeep sensed it would be harsher than the previous years: the winter rains were scanty, withering his crop...

-Livemint.com Localized lockdowns and rising covid cases among collection agents hamper loan recoveries Small finance banks are beginning to feel the heat of localized lockdowns and the advancing pandemic wave, as the virus spreads to India’s small towns and hinterland. However, they are better prepared this time, after last year’s severe setback. “The disease is spreading much faster, especially in smaller towns. Rural customers are, however, less impacted. There have been some delays...

The National Food Security Act 2013 guarantees maternity benefit to the tune of Rs. 6,000/- per child by the Central Government for pregnant women and lactating mothers, barring those who are already availing such benefits while being in regular employment with the Central Government or State Governments or Public Sector Undertakings or under other laws. The NFSA 2013 also legally guarantees free meals for every pregnant woman and lactating mother...

-The Indian Express Amid shortages in a number of states, the Centre has set about plans to import 50,000 tonnes of medical oxygen. Which states are worst hit, why is transportation difficult, and what is the way forward? As India touches 16 lakh active Covid-19 infections, a number of states have reported shortages of medical oxygen for a growing pool of patients in need of oxygen support. India plans to import 50,000...