UID is, in effect, going to be compulsory is clear from many other documents. For instance, the Planning Commission's proposal for the National Food Security Act argues for “mandatory use of UID numbers which are expected to become operational by the end of 2010” (note the optimistic time-frame). No UID, no food.
Published News » Public Policy
Jean Dreze: UID - Unique facility, or recipe for trouble?
Posted by balaji 934 days ago (http://www.hindu.com)Jean Dreze interview on whats wrong with Food Security Bill
Posted by balaji 961 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 966 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 967 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 968 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.
Jean Drèze's dissent note
Posted by balaji 969 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 969 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 970 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.
Executive Summary of the 6th Report of SC Commissioners
Posted by suhasini 984 days ago (http://smartvote.in)
Reading material 6 of 9:
This is the executive summary of the 6th Report submitted by the Commissioners to the Supreme Court, N C Saxena and Harsh Mander. This and other reports can be read in full from http://www.righttofoodindia.org/comrs/comrs_reports.html
This is the executive summary of the 6th Report submitted by the Commissioners to the Supreme Court, N C Saxena and Harsh Mander. This and other reports can be read in full from http://www.righttofoodindia.org/comrs/comrs_reports.html
Venkatesh Athreya: What can Govt do to address Urban Food Insecurity?
Posted by balaji 997 days ago (http://www.thehindu.com)
1. Urban Employment Guarantee Act
2. Safe drinking water and toilets
3. Interventions in JNNURM
4. Universal PDS
5. Promotion of urban and peri-urban agriculture
6. Reforms in fiscal policy framework
2. Safe drinking water and toilets
3. Interventions in JNNURM
4. Universal PDS
5. Promotion of urban and peri-urban agriculture
6. Reforms in fiscal policy framework
Swaminathan Aiyar: Nutrition is a bigger problem than hunger
Posted by balaji 1006 days ago (http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
Dreze and Amartya Sen have shown that targeting the needy can lead to huge errors — exclusion of the poor, inclusion of the non-poor. Self-targeting may avoid such problems. Maharashtra’s rural employment schemes in the 1970s paid low wages that only the poor would accept, a good example of self-targeting.
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