Feeding the poor during lockdown

There has been internal criticism over the sudden lockdown at the start of the pandemic. And about the poor migrants mainly from Delhi and Maharashtra (and students from Kota, Rajasthan) who, in great distress, had immediately to go back home. There is no talk of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) - a subset of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) relief package of Rs 1.70 Lakh Crore announced to minimize the impact of Covid-19 lockdown on economy and to help alleviate the plight of the poorest segments of India's 130 cr/1.3 billion population. The package, inter-alia had cash payments directly into bank accounts of the poor.

PMGKAY, initially rolled out in March 2020, involved the free distribution of five kilograms of rice/ wheat to approx. 80 crore Indians, and one kg of pulses per family per month - this over and above the entitled regular 5 kg of grain per month under the National Food Security Act.

PMGKAY, implemented through the States, was thereafter extended till the end of November. The Govt has provided free ration for the last 7-8 months to about 80 crore (800 mn) poor – this number is about 2.5 times the US population, 12 times that of UK, and twice that of the EU - the number is absolutely mind-boggling.

https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/world-s-biggest-free-ration-scheme-just-got-bigger-modi-s-helping-hand-to-80-crore-indians/614311

Data shows that around 33-35 lakh MTs of rice/wheat were distributed per month under this scheme. 

https://annavitran.nic.in/avPMGKY?month=11&year=2020

Despite efforts I could not find any article commenting on the success or otherwise of this scheme – which, like all schemes of the current govt does not look into the religion or caste of the beneficiaries. There do seem to have been some logistic issues in the initial period but no comment thereafter, except for seeking further extension of the scheme. By this I conclude that the scheme has indeed been a success!!

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/extend-implementation-of-pm-garib-kalyan-anna-yojana/article33235316.ece

Next: A distant view on the Indian Judiciary

Previous: Houses for all - PMAY Gramin

Houses for all - PMAY Gramin

A housing scheme for rural poor has been in existence since long but implementation was poor and stuck in red-tape. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India whose department performs the Central Audit had found non-assessment of housing shortage, lack of transparency in selection of beneficiaries, low quality of the house, lack of technical supervision, loans not availed by beneficiaries and weak mechanism for monitoring were limiting the impact and outcome of the programme.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin was launched in Nov. 2016 with the aim of providing housing for all in rural areas. The scheme subsumes the earlier Indira Awaas Yojana and has a target was 2.95 cr (29.5 mn) by 2022. PMAY-G aims at providing a pucca house which includes amenities like water, gas, toilet and electricity supply in all the households and a hygienic cooking space. Unskilled labour is provided from MGNREGS and, with houses being constructed using New Technologies, the time for construction has reduced from 314 days to 114 days with direct benefit transfer (DBT) of funds. Here the accounts opened under Jan Dhan Yojna would have been really helpful - it also eliminated the middlemen, much to their anger 😁😁

A constraint of lack of sufficient skilled masons is addressed by a pan-India training programme of masons. For timely construction, the scheme also provides tagging a PMAY-G beneficiary with a field level Government functionary and a Rural Mason.

http://www.businessworld.in/article/-Target-of-construction-of-2-95-crore-houses-under-PMAY-G-expected-to-be-achieved-by-March-2022-Centre/25-07-2020-301244/

The status of the scheme is available on the website of Ministry of Rural Development and, I must say, I am absolutely in awe – data is current. Excluding the 72 lakh houses under Indira Awaas Yojna which have been completed, the status is: Target  2.23 crs houses, sanctioned 1.90 crs and already completed 1.29 crs. – so they are well on track. Their site is otherwise too, amazingly informative. As is the linkage with banks and financiers.

https://pmayg.nic.in/netiay/home.aspx 

When being updated this site is sometimes not available . The source site of the Ministry is:

http://ruraldiksha.nic.in/RuralDashboard/PMAYG_New.aspx

Next: Feeding the poor during lockdown

Previous: Houses for all - PMAY Urban

Houses for all - PMAY Urban

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) aims at providing affordable housing to all in urban cities and rural areas. Initiated for the urban poor in 2015, the target date was 2022. The initial focus is 500 Class I cities as per willingness of States/UTs, in three phases to cover 100, 200 and thereafter all remaining Cities. 

https://vikaspedia.in/social-welfare/urban-poverty-alleviation-1/schemes-urban-poverty-alleviation/pradhan-mantri-awas-yojana-housing-for-all-urban

 The scheme is in public/private partnership and undertaken jointly with State Govts. Eligibility criteria is income, age etc. and covers economically and socially weaker sections. There is central assistance per house besides interest subsidy as also technical support. It also envisages slum rehabilitation. This scheme converges with other schemes to ensure houses have a toilet, Saubhagya Yojana electricity connection, Ujjwala Yojana LPG gas connection, access to drinking water and Jan Dhan banking facilities, etc.

Houses constructed under the mission would be allotted in the name of the female head of the household or in the joint name of the male head of the household and his wife. Funds are credited directly to beneficiary's account, thus eliminating middlemen and based on actual progress of construction.

The task was initially estimated at 2 crore houses but based on survey of States by integrating Aadhar number, Jan Dhan Yojana account numbers or other identification, the demand for about 1.12 cr. (11.2mn) houses was validated.

Under PMAY-U, 41 lakh (4.1 mn) houses have been completed so far while construction is in various stages in more than 70 lakh (7mn) houses.

 https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2021/jan/21/centre-approves-construction-of-over-168-lakh-houses-under-pmay-urban-2253182.html

PMAY (Gramin) in rural areas will come in a separate post.

NEXT: Houses for all - PMAY Gramin

Previous: Sensex, the Bombay Stock Exchange

Sensex, the Bombay Stock Exchange

One indication of how the economy is doing are the indices of Bombay Stock exchanges (BSE Sensex) and the National Stock exchange (NSE Nifty). The BSE Sensex, which is based on 30 stocks only, had a base of 100 on 1 April 1979. It  was at 5,000 points in early 2000, rose to 50,000 in Jan 2021. It had crossed the 25,000 mark for the first time in May 2014 when Narendra Modi came to power – and since has nearly doubled.

In early 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the nationwide lockdown, the Sensex had crashed. As cases rose, there was a massive global selloff. Small businesses and individuals at the bottom of the pyramid were worst hit by the pandemic. But the stimulus measures and steps taken by the government led to record foreign portfolio investors (FPI) inflows. A system flush with liquidity, low interest rates, and impressive corporate results in the second and third quarters resulted in the continuously rising Sensex. The BSE mid cap index has risen over 80%, and the small cap index by over 95%. Almost all major sectors have participated in the rally.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/sensex-at-50000-explained-for-investors-7156561/ 

FPIs are expected to bring more funds into Indian equities in the coming financial year as global interest rates remain low and India’s economic fundamentals make the country an attractive investment destination. However, the markets are trading high, and negative news may lead to a correction.

India's stock market is now the seventh biggest in the world, up three spots,  as total market capitalization increased to $2.7 trillion. It is now bigger than Canada, Germany and Saudi Arabia and may overtake France to become the sixth biggest in the world. Total market capitalisation of France now stands at $2.86 trillion. It is also the second-best performer among the top 15 countries in 2021.

https://www.timesnownews.com/amp/business-economy/markets/article/indias-stock-market-now-7th-biggest-in-the-world-as-bse-m-cap-surges-to-2-7-trillion/717342

Next: Houses for all - PMAY Urban

Previous: More Fake Stories

More Fake Stories

The recent major focus of fake news was on Rajdeep Sardesai - who did not learn even after having to issue an unconditional apology in Court in 2019, for false reporting in another case. When aggressive and violent farmer protestors entered Delhi on January 26, in violation of their agreed and written agreement, tractors were also seen racing to mow down policemen on duty. One such tractor, when racing, turned turtle, the driver fell off and died. Rajdeep Sardesai, a journalist of India Today, in his tweet, claimed that protester Navreet Singh died because of being shot by the Delhi Police. There was also a video where, in a dramatic style, Sardesai put two fingers to his temple and indicated the spot where the bullet had entered the head. The police released a video about the tractor’s racing mishap and later, Sardesai apologized and deleted his tweet. 

But the fake story did not end here as it was retweeted by several others - Shashi Tharoor and journalists, Mrinal Pande of National Herald, Zafar Agha, The Caravan’s Paresh Nath, and Anant Nath. FIRs were filed against Sardesai and others charging them with sedition, promotion of enmity, criminal conspiracy and spreading spread “false and misleading information” Some of them have approached the court for relief against FIRs. 

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/republic-day-violence-shashi-tharoor-rajdeep-sardesai-move-sc-against-firs/article33738148.ece

In spite of the post-mortem ruling out any bullet injuries, The Wire (yes the same The Wire that had carried the fake story of Chinese aggression in Arunachal Pradesh, mentioned in my earlier post) continued with the story going to the extent of quoting the violators, the victim's family and the post-mortem report by an unknown doctor. Concerned doctors have denied this.

https://thewire.in/rights/autopsy-doctor-told-me-hed-seen-the-bullet-injury-but-can-do-nothing-as-his-hands-are-tied

A case has also been filed against The Wire's editor Siddharth Varadarajan - the American who was earlier editor of The Hindu and is now with The Wire.

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/police-case-against-wire-editor-siddharth-varadrajan-over-tweet-on-farmers-death-at-tractor-rally-2360741

While the consequences on the others have perhaps been comparatively mild, Rajdeep Sardesai was immediately taken off-air by India Today and it is reported that he is no longer with them - did he quit or was he politely shown the door? Or was this action a consequence of the letter from the President’s Office on another of his fake tweets? On 23 January, the 125th birth anniversary of the freedom fighter, President Ram Nath Kovind unveiled a portrait of Bose at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. And Sardesai, Barkha Dutt amongst others, falsely alleged that the portrait was not of Bose, but that of the Bengali actor Prosenjit Chatterjee dressed as the freedom fighter for the 2019 film Gumnaami.

https://theprint.in/hoaxposed/subhas-chandra-bose-portrait-at-rashtrapati-bhavan-not-of-bengali-actor-who-played-netaji/591917/

Next:  Sensex, the Bombay Stock Exchange

Previous: Fake News by our Media

Fake News by our Media

The month of January 2021 has been in the limelight for several reasons. And perhaps the most shocking is the deliberate attempt to fool the people of India - or, in my opinion, to ignite negative passions and incite violence. 

I start with the story that came from the fertile imagination of Vishnu Som of NDTV - a channel that, to me, has become known for fanning negative news about India on any grounds. The story created was that the current govt was caught napping when the Chinese entered into Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh, and built a whole village. And there were even photos/video to prove the story!! Only Vishnu Som, the journalist, did not bother to check that, though the area was indeed a part of Arunachal Pradesh, it had been under occupation of the Chinese since 1959 - in the time of Jawaharlal Nehru!!!! When the truth came out, Vishnu Som did not even care to apologize.

https://twitter.com/VishnuNDTV/status/1351101693103104001?s=19

Immediately, The Wire had also carried this story. In fact The Wire also carried out China’s justification in an article which also carried their tweet, as also their own for posting this (fake) story but did not say why they had not checked their facts.

https://thewire.in/external-affairs/construction-on-own-territory-normal-says-china-on-report-of-arunachal-village

But NDTV and The Wire succeeded in doing what perhaps they had set out to do - that day's twitter trend had lakhs of such horrid remarks about our PM and his weakness, his inability to prevent the Chinese from entering our own country but wanted to bully the poor farmers. Hashtag was #StopChinaNotFarmers  Such hate was absolutely unimaginable. 

Anyway, here is a link to a YouTube video of Mr. Shekhar Gupta - well known critic of Narendra Modi - exposing the fake story by Vishnu Som and by The Wire.

https://youtu.be/hPPhTSdWa8U

But where were/are the troubled reactions questioning the intent of this fake story, I wonder. And this when our social media immediately requires, nay even demands, tolerance of fake news. Such is the present status of our Opposition Parties and their supporters.

Do expect another post on Fake news. 

(Addendum - I am shocked to hear Atishi of AAP fame continue the untruth in today's 9 o'clock debate on TimesNow, when she questioned 'a govt who allowed intrusions into Arunachal Pradesh' - ill-informed or ill-intended? - I leave it to the reader to decide)

Next: More Fake Stories

Previous: Solar Energy in India

Solar Energy in India

India stands third in Asia and fourth in the world in terms of solar power production - about 38% of its total capacity of renewable energy. India’s National Solar Mission, launched in 2010 when just 10MW of solar power was installed, had a target of 20GW for the end of the decade. However, with significant activity over the following years, installed capacity actually reached 37 GW – i.e. almost double the target.

The Bhadla Solar Park, in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, is said to be the largest solar power plant in the world. Other big solar plants in India are Shakti Sthala solar power project in Tumakuru, Karnataka, Ultra Mega Solar Park in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. Then Rewa Solar Power Project in M.P. and Kamuthi, in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu.

https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/features/largest-solar-power-plants-india/ 

Power demand touched an all-time high of 187.3 GW in January 2021, up from 170.97 GW during January last year. India now aims to achieve 100GW of solar power capacity by 2022.

Concerns being raised are: mining of minerals for panels and batteries, depriving huge areas of sunlight and water for long, land used for pasture being taken away etc. Large-scale solar projects are exempted from environmental processes on grounds of their mitigating carbon emissions. 

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/maharashtra-to-power-modi-govts-rooftop-solar-mission-7167165/ 

Other applications such as solar lamps, solar street lights and solar pumps have been promoted. Individual rooftop solar panel are being incentivised and, in our own complex too, one has been set-up over our club house. Solar plants above drains and canal are also being constructed. The world's largest floating 600 MW solar energy project at Omkareshwar dam on Narmada river in Khandwa. M.P. Pradesh will begin power generation by year 2022-23.

Next: Fake News by our Media

Previous: Highways and Road Construction