The Union department of food and public distribution has asked states to weed out ineligible beneficiaries of PMGKAY by the end of next month. But going by the obvious political risks, the exercise is unlikely to be completed soon.
A government release notes successful implementation of fortified rice supply, and progress in digitising ration cards and automating Fair Price Shops.
During natural calamities like droughts, floods or pandemics, cash transfers may not be of much help. It is a good policy to distribute food grains rather than cash.
PMGKAY was extended for three more months last week. An analysis of the scheme's beneficiaries shows that over 50% of the population in Gujarat and 38% in HP will benefit from it.
Paper suggests extreme poverty in India was as low as 0.8 per cent of population in 2019 & food transfers were instrumental in ensuring that it remained at that low level in pandemic year of 2020.
Country's used lithium-ion battery problem is also set to grow sharply in next decade. India 3rd largest e-waste producer with 7% global share but currently recycles only about 10% of it.
Shield AI will provide V-BAT vertical takeoff & landing drones along with licences for software, which will be integrated into aircraft and made available to select Indian partners.
No nation other than China can negotiate one-on-one with Trump on an equal footing. That’s why the middle powers who so far formed the core of multilateral bodies now feel orphaned.
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