Shalini Nair
Articles By Shalini Nair
Interim Budget: MGNREGA estimate less than 2018-19 expenditure
Activists say the lower provision does not augur well for the scheme, which is already beset by a near stagnation in wages.
Budget 2019: For unorganised sector, Rs 3,000 monthly pension
Goyal also announced a “substantial increase” in the Budget Estimate for welfare of SC and ST communities — an increase of 35 per cent and 28 per cent, respectively.
Govt to identify denotified, nomadic tribes not classified as SC, ST or OBC
As per the report prepared by the National Commission on DNT, NT, SNT headed by Bhiku Ramji Idate, over 260 extremely marginalised communities have never been identified or included in any of the reserved categories.
NREGA may provide way to tackle crop burning, says chief ministers’ panel
The sub-group of chief ministers headed by former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was formed to look at ways to converge the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with agricultural policy.
10% quota for EWS: States can go past Rs 8 lakh annual income criteria
It also allows states to notify EWS “from time to time on the basis of family income and other indicators of economic disadvantage” even if they are “adequately represented” in government jobs.
Sinho Commission 2010 report govt cited to push 10% never spoke of EWS quota
The report noted that economic criteria cannot be the indicator for identifying backward classes for reservation and that EWS can be identified by states “for extending welfare measures only”.
Report cited by govt for 10% quota ruled out use of creamy layer as cut-off for EWS
The 124th Constitutional Amendment Bill for granting 10 per cent EWS reservation was passed by both Houses of Parliament this week but several members and political parties raised the issue of how the Rs 8-lakh cut-off subverts the principle of social justice.
Amid demands for more reservation, OBC picture unclear
The Mandal Commission report of 1980 estimated the OBC population at 52 per cent based on the 1931 Census. The National Sample Survey Organisation data of 2006 shows the OBC population at 41 per cent, but it was only an estimate based on sample data.
Eyes on polls, Cabinet approves 10% quota for ‘economically weaker’ General category
Unlike the reservation for SC/ST/OBCs, caste is not going to be a criterion for eligibility to the reservation under this new provision.
Government plans Bill to crack down on NRIs deserting wives
In 2018, Punjab at 95 cases had the maximum such cases followed by Delhi at 85 cases and Uttar Pradesh at 82, as per data with the NCW’s NRI complaints cell.
Child abuse: More death penalty, longer jail terms
WCD Ministry officials said that the amendment was necessary as POCSO, unlike the Indian Penal Code (IPC), is a gender-neutral law that protects both boys and girls under the age of 18.
Under-reporting manual scavengers: Asked to verify, states turn 55,000 to 25,000
In the recent exercise, state governments, tasked with verifying 54,929 manual scavengers identified across 170 select districts in stage one of the counting process, have confirmed involvement of only 25,015 people in the job in the final verification stage.
Transgender Persons Bill: In Rajya Sabha, Opposition likely to demand scrutiny by Select Committee
In the Lok Sabha, the Bill was passed with 27 amendments introduced by the government. All the amendments moved by Opposition members were rejected.
Lok Sabha passes Transgender Persons Bill with 27 changes
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016, was passed with 27 amendments introduced by the government. The amendments suggested by Opposition members were rejected.
Probe blows lid off women shelter homes: ‘congested jails, mentally ill rolling on floor’
With the probe revealing “gross violations” in 25 of the 26 homes that were inspected on a random basis in Karnataka, UP, West Bengal and Odisha — many were functioning as working women’s hostels — the NCW will soon extend the enquiry to all 500 such homes across the country.
Congress’ SC/ST MLAs set to double in three states
Of the total 181 seats reserved for candidates from the SC and ST communities in the three states, the Congress has a lead in 108, greatly increasing its count from the existing 42 SC/ST seats.
Prasar Bharati report insult to victims: AIR casual staffers
The letter also points out that not one of the several women casual comperes/announcers who were sacked for speaking out against sexual harassment have been reinstated by AIR/Prasar Bharati, neither have any of them received compensation for the 'agony and loss they have suffered'.
Upper-caste share is down, more marginal groups enter campuses
New education report: Muslims, disabled most under-represented.
Farmers’ protest in Delhi: Modi govt has lied through its teeth on MSP, says P. Sainath
Founder-Editor of the People's Archive of Rural India and agrarian expert P. Sainath talks to Shalini Nair on the aim of the two-day long Kisan Mukti March in Delhi to bring the various aspects of farm distress into the national discourse.
Seeking end to crisis in the farms, thousands march through Delhi’s streets
The march was held under the banner of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), a coalition of 200-plus organisations formed in the wake of the Mandsaur firing that killed six farmers in June 2017.
