The government may table the two key Bills on women's reservation and food security soon in Parliament to take the wind out of the Opposition sails.The Women's Reservation Bill, aimed at providing one-third reservation to women candidates in state Assemblies and Parliament, is bound to split the Opposition. The Food Security Bill, which will provide 25 kg of rice or wheat at Rs 3 per month to families below the poverty line, will be showcased as the government's effort.
Montek Singh Ahluwalia appealed to the Indian Diaspora at the PBD gathering to support health care ventures of the Indian government, for people below the poverty line.
'Pay Rs. 30 and insure free treatment up to Rs. 30,000.' That is the latest slogan of the Manmohan Singh government, which has provided such a unique insurance cover to those below the poverty line (BPL) for the first time in the history of the country.
India will mark its 63rd birthday on August 15 this year. Today, India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and is on its way to becoming a considerable force on the global stage.
The Centre had earlier in July 2008 launched the scheme to supply subsidised oil to the poor, which was valid till March 31, 2009. The government could not take a view on the scheme because of the general elections. With the United Progressive Alliance coming to power with an increased majority, sources said the scheme may be re-introduced in this year's Budget to benefit poor households. Moreover, they added, subsidy outflow is not likely to be very high.
Various estimates of the extra cost to the government for an improved food security Bill are doing the rounds, but many agree the Union government's proposed food subsidy bill would double.
The Congress on Thursday released its manifesto for the forthcoming Karnataka polls. The Congress has chalked out a separate manifesto for Bangalore. Apart from promises of providing 25 kg rice at Rs 2 and a free colour TV to families living below the poverty line, the Congress has also promised 24-hour electric supply to both urban and rural areas.
'The poor must be allowed to self select themselves. A poor family must be given a ration card on demand and the government must accept responsibility for providing subsidised food grain.'
Congress chief Mallikarjuna Kharge said that if voted to power, the party would provide loans at three per cent interest rate for farmers, journalists, women's self help groups, potters, handloom weavers, fishermen and shepherds. All pending loans under the Ashraya and Awaz Yojana scheme will also be waived off.Free colour TVs and 25 kg of rice at Rs 2 for families living below the poverty line that is what the Congress manifesto promises.
Participating in the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address to Parliament, senior Congress leader and party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said in the Rajya Sabha that the economy has grown by over eight per cent in the last four years.
He was addressing the Madhya Pradesh Assembly while marking the start of its golden jubilee celebrations.\n
Government said on Thursday it is working on a scheme to provide health insurance to the poor, besides offering life and disability cover to one earning member of each economically weaker family.
Yes, industry should be socially responsible and it would be nice if the rich did not flaunt their wealth in a poor country, but what is needed most of all is effective governance and reform of the government.
The government on Monday said it will soon introduce a Bill to enact a Food Security law that will provide 25 kg of rice and/or wheat at Rs 3 to each family below the poverty line - a key poll promise of the Congress that heads the ruling coalition.
The Centre is considering a comprehensive health insurance scheme to cover about 25 per cent of India's poor, who are below the poverty line.
'If because of El Nino, the monsoon is affected adversely in the current year, naturally it will affect income projections and consequently Budget numbers.'
Rashtra Swasthya Beema Yojana to start from April 1 in Delhi and Haryana. Each family belonging to the unorganised sector will get Rs 30,000.
Whether it was the MGNREGS or the NFSA or the Aadhaar-based DBT scheme for cash transfer, the Modi government has built on the basic architecture created by the Singh government. Policy makers in the Modi government, instead of discarding them as products of the previous political regime, worked on them, expanded their scope and reach, and used new tools to improve their performance, explains A K Bhattacharya.
The Centre on Tuesday announced an additional package of Rs 2,437 crore for reconstruction and rehabilitation of flood-ravaged Jammu and Kashmir.
Lord Swaraj Paul emphasised on Monday that India can become a developed country if the issues of education, health and security are dealt with.
With the possibility of a midterm poll looming large, the government has announced a slew of populist schemes.
By all accounts, straight forward, publicly provided healthcare is working well in Tamil Nadu which is emerging as the next big human development success after Kerala.
Millions of people living below the poverty line in India will benefit from 250 million pounds of new UK aid aimed at reducing the number of children that die before their fifth birthday, Gareth Thomas, Minister for International Development said.
25 per cent of the stalls will be reserved for the under-privileged sections of the society.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Justice (CJI) Sharad Arvind Bobde said that a larger bench will decide the pleas filed by 35 petitioners challenging Centre's decision.
Opposition members in the Lok Sabha on Monday blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government's policies for the price rise and accused it of ignoring the plight of common people, saying kitchens will soon "see a lockdown" if the Centre does not take corrective measures.
Within a week, the prime minister's Office alerted the Pune district administration, prompting them to help the girl.
Tamil Nadu's latest budget offers path-breaking initiatives and major boost for social infrastructure, which other state governments are sure to follow in the coming years, predicts N Sathiya Moorthy.
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The scheme was launched in 2012 in collaboration with three Oil Marketing Companies and Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for which Delhi Government had incurred an expenditure of Rs 62 crore (Rs 620 million).
With the exit polls predicting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi led National Democratic Alliance government at the center, not only have the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders started allocating portfolios but also revealing their priorities for the next government.
Chhattisgarh, popularly known as the rice bowl of central India, is witnessing politics over the foodgrain with ruling the Bharatiya Janata Party and main opposition the Congress trying to attract voters through it.
A clarification on delinking Aadhaar account from disbursal of subsidised LPG cylinders would be issued within a week, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Veerappa Moily said during Question Hour.
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