New Delhi, February 8, 2018: Calling this year’s union budget ‘just an exercise in manipulation of numbers,’ veteran activist Medha Patkar asked, “When the major decisions like the demonetisation and GST are taken between two budgets then what’s the relevance of the Budget?,” at a panel discussion on the analysis of this year’s union budget with a special focus on[Read More...]
Gender inequality is not only a pressing moral and social issue but also a critical economic challenge. India has a larger relative economic value at stake from advancing gender equality than any of the ten regions analysed in a McKinsey Global Institute report, The Power of Parity: How Advancing Women’s Equality Can add $12 Trillion To Global Growth. The report[Read More...]
The average, declared, moveable and immovable assets of the 70 Union Cabinet members is around Rs 16 crores. The Union Budget 2018-2019 is Rs 1866418 crores after subtracting the 23% that will go on interest payments on borrowings (at interest rates and repayment terms set by the Government itself). Assuming this average per cabinet minister extends to all politicians[Read More...]
While the 2018 -19 has disappointed many and satisfied few: among those who were left dismayed are persons with disabilities. The PM named them ‘ Divyaang’ but not much has been done to uplift them socially and financially. The Nation Platform for the Rights of the Disabled persons ( NPRD) has issued a statement expressing concerns. The finance minister[Read More...]
New Delhi / Mumbai, February 2, 2018: The Budget speech of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley kept harping on the fact that, the key focus of the government was farmers, rural poor, marginal communities and SC/ST, however, the overall announcements and allocations completely fell short of the intentions. The announcement of the celebration of 150 years of Gandhi is welcome but[Read More...]
The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) budget for 2018-19 is Rs 55,000 crores, the same as that of this year’s in money terms. (The initial budget of Rs 48,000 crores for 2017-18 was supplemented with Rs 7,000 crores in January 2018). Also, given the trend of rising pending liabilities at the end of every year, a sizable part of[Read More...]
