In what could lead to an overhaul of policy, the Union government is looking at a new sugar subsidy mechanism as part of its decontrol proposal. It plans to rope in state governments for the purchase and distribution of sugar to below-poverty-line consumers at market prices.
The government is actively considering bringing 355 life saving drugs under price control and take a few additional measures to help the poor and below poverty line (BPL) families, once the Union Cabinet approves National Pharmaceutical Policy.
The survey took the poverty line at Rs 356 per person per month in rural areas and at Rs 538 in urban areas for 2004-05.
Employment generation in the midst of a global meltdown will be the central idea of the Interim Budget that the United Progressive Alliance will present on February 16, just ahead of the general elections.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his cabinet colleagues have started a 24-hour fast to protest the UPA government's alleged discriminatory attitude towards Madhya Pradesh.
"There are several ways in which poverty can be measured . . . the National Sample Survey is the basis for calculating poverty on headcount basis. However, when minister of state for planning V Narayansamy said 'poverty line is being assessed', there was an uproar in the House and Joshi was joined by CPI-M- MP Brinda Karat, who wanted a satisfactory reply from the minister.
The Centre has begun consulting states on implementing its Rs 3 per kg rice/wheat scheme for the poor, but discussions got stuck on what would be the basis for defining the beneficiaries.
'If Mr Rahul Gandhi is coming to Rajasthan he should also know how his own chief minister is throttling the voices of the people belonging to the most backward classes.'
The party also promised to would provide salt at 25 paise per kg to BPL families, state unit president Raghuvar Das said while releasing the manifesto in the presence of Chhatisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh. Construction of three lakh houses to be allotted to those not having accommodation and ration cards to every family within three months was also among the promises held out.
Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu launched his campaign for the next elections with a slew of populist promises offering goodies to different sections. Addressing a huge public meeting, marking the conclusion of his 117-day-long Mee Kosam Yatra (For You Yatra) at Anantapur on Friday evening, Naidu promised 13-hour-free electricity supply to farmers, against the supply of seven hours now.
It proposed that smart cards be issued to BPL families for supply of subsidised kerosene in urban and semi-urban areas to cut diversion of the fuel to unintended users. The panel also suggested a cash transfer system, whereby funds can be transferred to BPL families through a banking or postal system for purchasing of kerosene, instead of supplying the fuel much below the market price.
The 'India Corruption Study 2007', brought out by NGOs Transparency International India (TII) and Centre for Media Studies (CMS), found that about one-third of Below Poverty Line (BPL) households in the country bribed officials to avail a total of 11 services -- from police to PDS.
Attacking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the proposed Food Security Bill, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said the bill, in its current form, will push the country toward "malnutrition".
The Andhra Pradesh government has re-launched the Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme for below-poverty-line (BPL) families in the State from Wednesday, coinciding with Ugadi, the Telugu New Year Day that was celebrated two days ago. Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy formally inaugurated the scheme at Jadcharla in backward Mahbubnagar district on Wednesday.
High growth sustained in first half of FY'08 at 9.1 pc.
The study 'Orissa in Transition: From Fiscal Turnaround to Rapid and Inclusive Growth' was conducted by the World Bank in 2007. The study found that the poverty headcount ratio for the state, after rising during 1993-99, declined during 2000-2005 by more than 8 percentage points in rural Orissa and 2.5 percentage points in urban Orissa. This is better than the all-India average decline of 5 percentage points for urban India and 2 percentage points for rural India.
While India boasts of its nuclear strength, 600 million people are still living in darkness, 150 million do not have access to health clinics and farmers' suicides make it to the pages of newspapers now and then, Tharoor said at a 'Face To Face' programme organised by Bengal Initiative, a conclave of front-runners in different fields of the state, on Sunday night.
Norms flouted, non-BPL families cornered grants, say rural development ministry's reports.
C Rangarajan, chairman of the economic advisory council to the prime minister, has called for revisiting subsidies, dividend distribution tax and tax exemptions.
There should be transparent national standards and parameters to decide who the poor are
A survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Organisation has revealed that 51 per cent or more than half of India's rural households (marginal farmers possessing less than 1,076 square feet of land) have no ration card at all.
Sudama Mahto has been accused of distributing the cards to favour an electoral candidate.
The finance ministry is expected to announce a life insurance package for below poverty line workers in the unorganised sector in the forthcoming Union Budget.
Concerned over the plight of 220 million people living below poverty line, President A P J Abdul Kalam on Friday suggested increasing of overall GDP growth rate to 10 per cent and maintaining it for a decade.
The finance ministry is expected to announce a life insurance package for below poverty line workers in the unorganised sector in the forthcoming Union Budget.
The party has charged Lalu with being involved in forestalling a vigilance probe into a scam in the purchase and supply of blankets worth about Rs 40 crore for below poverty line families in Bihar in the winter of 2002-2003.
The Left Front government in West Bengal would try to distribute 1.53 crore Below Poverty Line cards in the state.
Addressing the 28th Annual Convention of vice-chancellors of the Indian Agriculture Universities Association in Srinagar, Sinha said this would be possible with the successful implementation of the roadmap formulated for the purpose.
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Govt to harness Delhi's private hospitals to cover 3 lakh Delhiites falling under the poverty line.
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