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NetCitizen - Bihar 2010 Assembly Elections
Posted by balaji 925 days ago (http://www.netcitizen.in)Arvind Kejrival: How To Root Out Corruption - Lokpal
Posted by balaji 930 days ago (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
All of the investigative agencies (CVC, CAG etc) should be merged into one single agency, the Lokpal. Give it jurisdiction over both bureaucrats and politicians. Give it comprehensive powers to investigate and prosecute the guilty without needing any permission.
Jean Dreze interview on whats wrong with Food Security Bill
Posted by balaji 931 days ago (http://www.tehelka.com)
Targeting is unreliable and divisive. At least three independent surveys show that about half of all poor households in rural India did not have a BPL card in 2005. The identification of poor families can be improved, but ultimately, it is bound to be a hit-or-miss affair. When it comes to food security, “exclusion errors” are really unacceptable — everyone has a right to be protected from hunger
The muddle in Food Security
Posted by balaji 937 days ago (http://www.livemint.com)
Clearly, these proposals are nothing more than an unsophisticated window dressing for the existing PDS. It is not obvious what led NAC to work out a proposal that reduces entitlements, leaves prices unchanged, ignores the crucial issue of PDS reform and creates one more layer of targeting.
Hindu Op-Ed: Food Security - A single solution
Posted by balaji 938 days ago (http://www.hindu.com)
The NAC has missed a historic opportunity to introduce a universal system, as demanded by all progressive sections of the polity, as recommended by the National Commission on Farmers, and as implemented by a couple of State governments. This newspaper has consistently advocated a universal PDS.
Erratum: NAC Recommendations on Food Security Bill
Posted by balaji 939 days ago (http://www.hindu.com)
An Erratum published by Hindu on its previous story, which was shared here on smartvote.in/share. It essentially mentions that 40% of India's population ('priority') will be entitled to 35 kg of grains while another 20% ('general') will be entitled to 20 kg of grains.
1 AM: Drunk BBMP officer comes knocking ...
Posted by balaji 940 days ago (http://bangaloremirror.com)
Don’t dare fight the system, don’t even try. That’s the message the system in Bangalore, whether it’s the police or the BBMP, seems to be sending out to any citizen who dares to think otherwise.
Jean Drèze's dissent note
Posted by balaji 940 days ago (http://hindu.com)
“an opportunity [had] been missed to initiate a radical departure in this field.”. “The NAC proposals [are] a great victory for the government — they allow it to appear to be doing something radical for food security, but it is actually more of the same,” he said.
Implement food security scheme in two phases: NAC
Posted by balaji 940 days ago (http://hindu.com)
The NAC wants the food security programme implemented in two phases — in the first phase, it should be extended to 85 per cent of the rural population and 40 per cent of the urban population.
NAC recommends food security net for 75 p.c. of population
Posted by balaji 940 days ago (http://www.thehindu.com)
As per the recommendations, those under the ‘priority’ category will have a monthly entitlement of Rs. 35 kg foodgrains at a subsidised price of Rs.1 per kg for millets, Rs.2 per kg for wheat and Rs.3 per kg for rice. The ‘general’ category households will have a legal monthly entitlement of 20 kg of foodgrains at a price not exceeding 50% of the Minimum Support Price.
Aruna Roy And Nikhil Dey: The wages of discontent [in MG-NREGS]
Posted by balaji 941 days ago (http://www.hindu.com)
The Union government is reneging on its legal obligation to pay minimum wages,
even to the most deprived sections of the population, in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
even to the most deprived sections of the population, in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
Taluk-level fora to deal with PDS complaints
Posted by balaji 941 days ago (http://www.hindu.com)
The Food Department has decided to constitute an exclusive 12-member consumers' forum in all the taluks and districts to deal with complaints regarding the distribution of foodgrains by fair price depots under the public distribution system.
Balu's musings: Saving Democracy!
Posted by balaji 942 days ago (http://rbalu.wordpress.com)
How do we eliminate the barriers of entry to the political arena and make it feasible for well-meaning people to give it a shot? Can we look to creating such a force by bringing together such people who can throw away their own individual ego needs and coalesce to form a critical mass, large enough to get the ball rolling?
Difference in BPL figures startling: judge
Posted by balaji 944 days ago (http://www.hindu.com)
The difference was due to the Centre's estimate that BPL families formed only 27 per cent of the population, whereas as per the Justice Wadhwa Committee, they accounted for 36 per cent. According to the Arjun Sengupta Commission, the BPL population was about 77 per cent, counsel said.
vruksha.com: The Tree People have mapped all the trees in Hampi Nagar
Posted by balaji 945 days ago (http://www.vruksha.com)
Project Vruksha is an Eco-Initiative by Sattva Welfare Association. Under the census, the surveyors are measuring the girth of trees , condition, salient characteristics as well as specific details such as whether it belongs to some rare species etc.
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