Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

India has emerged as the world’s fastest growing economy. However, Asia’s third largest economy just ranked 97th among 118 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) released by the <keyword id="108578" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="International-Food-Policy-Research-Institute">International Food Policy Research Institute</keyword> (<keyword id="6557928" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="ifpri">IFPRI</keyword>). This puts the country behind even <keyword id="6354759" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bangladesh">Bangladesh</keyword>, <keyword id="41896" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Iran">Iran</keyword>, <keyword id="6355112" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Iraq">Iraq</keyword>, and <keyword id="6354767" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nigeria">Nigeria</keyword> in the hunger map. 
 
India’s policy addressing hunger and malnutrition in all age groups has a feast of questions and a famine of answers. India’s hunger, being worse than any sub-Saharan country, needs crisis management and a long term vision. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Excise-duty-in-cigarette-hiked-Tobacco-farmers-in-india-are-struggling-to-make-ends-meet/articleshow/56872791.cms">ALSO READ: Excise duty in cigarette hiked. Tobacco farmers in India are struggling to make ends meet</a> 
 Be it <keyword id="4227644" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="manohar-das">Manohar Das</keyword> of <keyword id="4227647" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="tewri">Tewri</keyword> village in <keyword id="6360371" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jharkhand">Jharkhand</keyword>, who works in hundred days of wage-employment or <keyword id="4227646" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="shib-baksha">Shib Baksha</keyword> of <keyword id="4227645" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="amlasol">Amlasol</keyword> village in <keyword id="61773" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="West-Midnapore">West Midnapore</keyword> district of <keyword id="6357783" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="West-Bengal">West Bengal</keyword>, who works as contract labour at nearby village, the thin line that connects them is the ignorance about ‘<keyword id="2209492" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-Sarkar">Modi Sarkar</keyword>’. The only thing they understand by the government is getting staples at Rs 2/kg and free goodies. However, staples alone can’t fulfill nutritional needs, as a result they end up with stunted growth and other diseases. Not everyone is as lucky as them. Their neighbours, unable to procure <keyword id="49514" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="bpl">BPL</keyword> (below poverty level) identity cards and Ration Cards aren’t entitled to these basic facilities and have to starve most of the days. Only feast they can think of is ant eggs roast during the scorching summer months. 
 
 
 
India’s overall GDP growth is expected to end at <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Excise-duty-in-cigarette-hiked-Tobacco-farmers-in-india-are-struggling-to-make-ends-meet/articleshow/56872791.cms">7.1% this financial year</a>, as compared to 4.6% two years back. While food still counts as the basic requirement of human existence, India is a country that not only produces enough, but ironically, there is never enough for its ever growing population to eat. Funnily, while millions go hungry, for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Excise-duty-in-cigarette-hiked-Tobacco-farmers-in-india-are-struggling-to-make-ends-meet/articleshow/56872791.cms">India storage of surplus food</a> has always been a problem. 
 
 
 
India’s hunger-management disaster 
While development in many sectors is acknowledged, what is lesser known is that India has also made considerable progress on many social fronts, such as fertility decline, expansion of schooling and bridging the gender gap in education, especially at the primary and lower secondary levels. However, there is one <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Excise-duty-in-cigarette-hiked-Tobacco-farmers-in-india-are-struggling-to-make-ends-meet/articleshow/56872791.cms">area of human development</a>, where India has been a disaster: tackling hunger and malnutrition. 
 
Child malnutrition rates in India are extraordinarily high- among the highest in the world, with nearly one-half of all children under 3 years of age being either underweight or stunted. Indeed, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Excise-duty-in-cigarette-hiked-Tobacco-farmers-in-india-are-struggling-to-make-ends-meet/articleshow/56872791.cms">child malnutrition rates </a>are higher in India than in many countries of sub-Saharan <keyword id="12925" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Africa">Africa</keyword>, even though income levels are significantly higher and levels of infant and child mortality are lower in India. 
 
 
 
Pediatric malnutrition Prevalence of child malnutrition in India has remained stubbornly high even after nearly a half-century of respectable agricultural productivity growth and two decades of post-reform economic growth and prosperity in the country. Adding more support to the view that child malnutrition is weakly correlated with income is the finding that among children of mothers with 10 or more years of schooling as well as mothers from the top income quintile, around one-quarter are underweight. Even in a relatively prosperous and dynamic state like <keyword id="6354766" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gujarat">Gujarat</keyword>, child malnutrition rates have been stagnant over the past decade. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-how-indepay-is-making-rural-india-cashless/articleshow/57232771.cms">ALSO READ: HOW INDEPAY IS MAKING RURAL INDIA CASHLESS</a> 
 The <keyword id="121300" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Family-Health-Survey">National Family Health Survey</keyword> (NFHS) found that a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-how-indepay-is-making-rural-india-cashless/articleshow/57232771.cms">significant number of adults</a> in India suffer from malnutrition. Almost 58 per cent of pregnant women aged 15-49 were found to be anaemic. The Global Food Security Index also revealed that Indians lack adequate quantities of iron, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-how-indepay-is-making-rural-india-cashless/articleshow/57232771.cms">Vitamin A and protein in their diets</a>. 
 
 
 
“Half of the children who die before five years of age have malnutrion as a cause in their pathogenesis. If we look at proportion of weight at birth, 23 per cent of children weigh less than 2.5 kg, which is below normal. This low birth weight has its reason in the womb, which is where they are malnourished already before being born. Low birth weight increases over time and so by the time they are three-years-old, half the children are malnourished. Because of poor sanitation we have widespread <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-how-indepay-is-making-rural-india-cashless/articleshow/57232771.cms">faecal oral contamination</a>. Water and food sources have high degrees of contamination and it results in diarrhoea and other gastro intestinal illnesses, which increases the child mortality rate,” said renowned public health specialist and activist Dr <keyword id="43944" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Binayak-Sen">Binayak Sen</keyword>. 
 
 
 
State of famine 
In 1943, three million people died in the infamous <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/author_articles_all.cms?query=%22Suchayan%20Mandal%22&amp;author=Suchayan-Mandal-479239841">Bengal famine</a>. There was no shortage of grain in <keyword id="6356978" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bengal">Bengal</keyword> at that time, yet people had nothing to eat. Interpreting the Famine of 1943,<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/author_articles_all.cms?query=%22Suchayan%20Mandal%22&amp;author=Suchayan-Mandal-479239841"> Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen </a>suggested that the reason for it was the breakdown of the social arrangement in distributing food. To put the matter in a world context, every three seconds somewhere around the world, a child dies of causes related to avoidable malnutrition. "In those three seconds, the world armaments industry spends 120,000 USD in order to keep the system responsible safely in place,” Binayak Sen told <keyword id="824043" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business-Insider">Business Insider</keyword>. 
 
 
 
Ignorant policies that do the most harm Skyrocketing prices of daily food items spell more woe for the people, who are already paying "too much" to survive. International Fund for Agricultural Development’s (<keyword id="1367836" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="IFAD">IFAD</keyword>) Rural Poverty Report-2011 states, “While international food prices have declined since mid-2008, they are still substantially higher than prior to the price surge, and they are likely to remain at 2010 levels or higher for the next decade.” The report has suggested that about 100 million of world’s rural and urban people have to remain hungry. 
 “It will remain high, the era of cheap food is over," said <keyword id="669006" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Richard-Mahapatra">Richard Mahapatra</keyword>, managing editor of Down to <keyword id="6359982" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="earth">Earth</keyword>. "This is because productivity of agriculture is low and thus impacts production. This is the supply side issue. Also the rainfed areas that contribute a signifcant amount of foodgrain is not getting the policy focus. Even though the new second Green <keyword id="24385" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="revolution">Revolution</keyword> is aimed at that, it seems to be flawed. Now, the demand side. Demand is increasing but we don't have robust distribution mechanism. So, it creates further price rise. Also, there is huge diversion of agricultural lands to other uses. Combined with low productivity, less lands and absence of distribution mechanism, we are set for high price rise.” 
 Due to the PDS (<keyword id="89442" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Public-distribution-system">Public Distribution System</keyword>) and the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/author_articles_all.cms?query=%22Suchayan%20Mandal%22&amp;author=Suchayan-Mandal-479239841">public wage programmes</a> starvation deaths have definitely come down, he contended. Often we call cheap food grain programmes as populist. They are indeed popular as poor find them useful and their starvation is avoided with this entitlement. 
 
 
 
Adult malnutrition 
“Roughly 33-35 per cent of the entire Indian population have a BMI below 18.5, which is indicative of calorie malnutrition. They aren't getting enough food to eat. More than one-third of India is on a chronic basis not getting proper food to eat. Low BMI is also restricting people’s immunity,” said Binayak Sen. 
 “Without addressing nutritional status, there can be no adequate development. Food Security Act does nothing for betterment of nutritional status of the poeple as such. <keyword id="250148" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-Bill">The Bill</keyword> is like 'something is better than nothing'. Five kilos of wheat per person per month make two chapattis per day. With two chapatis the nutritional question isn’t answered. This terrible nutritional deficit is yielding polarization in society,” he added. 
 
Urban malnutrition 
In villages, people stay in close bond with each other, who can be approached for help in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/author_articles_all.cms?query=%22Suchayan%20Mandal%22&amp;author=Suchayan-Mandal-479239841">times of crisis</a>. Migrating people in cities start living in slums and ghettos, where they have to live with people unknown and untrustworthy. Moreover, people fight here to make ends meet, which actually leads to self-centric attitude. 
 
Red corridor hunger 
“People who are in chronic situation and stable famine are able to withstand only because of their access to natural resources like land, water and forest," opined Binayak Sen. "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/author_articles_all.cms?query=%22Suchayan%20Mandal%22&amp;author=Suchayan-Mandal-479239841">Access to this resources was unrestricted</a>. Designating the common properties as commodities that can be owned by corporates is restricting poeple’s right to access and in a way right to live. Any form of resistance is labelled as insurgency. First they try civil ways and then take recourse in military measures. People have to confront. Application of eminent domain needs to be questioned. Under 5th schedule, govt has to ensure people’s access to natural resources but there is not a single instances of government intervening.” 
 
“They have mapped it as red corridor but poeple’s deprivation hasn't been mapped yet," said Sen. 
 
"We need to relook at the arm forces and UAPA laws. Whole discourse in election has become restricted to attitudes to development. Development is about accessing resources. Nobody is saying there are vital issues involved. What is going to happen to the poeple whose right has been denied? State will not be thwarted in its course. There needs to be a contestaion in the level of people. They need to raise the issue.” 
 
Business Insider’s Take 
Agriculture contributes around 16 per cent to<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/author_articles_all.cms?query=%22Suchayan%20Mandal%22&amp;author=Suchayan-Mandal-479239841"> India’s GDP</a>; it is coming down over the years. But still 60 per cent people depend on this. What does this mean? Is it that it is reliable as a source of livelihood or people don't have any other source thus depend on agriculture? In both the cases, shifting people out of agriculture is going to be a tough challenge. Industries or the service sectors have their own limitation and can't absorb such a huge number of people. Strategically, this will be a blunder as we kill out food self-sufficiency.

BI Investigation: India’s food nightmare is killing millions of
children across the country every day

<keyword id="49514" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="bpl">BPL</keyword> chairman <keyword id="322416" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ajit-Nambiar">Ajit Nambiar</keyword> has said that the company will make a full-fledged re-entry into the white goods segment by Diwali, aiming for Rs 600 crore in sales in three years. The company has been out of the consumer electronic market for 10 years. 
 
It was in 2005 that the company, owned by the Nambiar family, had exited the white goods market because of the collapse of its JV with Japanese firm Sanyo. It had re-entered the market last year with 24, 32 and 40-inches LED television available through India’s online marketplace giant Flipkart. 
 
As of now, it sells 8,000-10,000 TV units, all imported. 
 
As per Nambiar, the Flipkart tie-up gave its products good reviews, because of which it would soon launch more than 50-inches TV sets and smart TVs, while also entering the market of washing machines, refrigerators, microwave ovens and air-conditioners. 
 
"We will expand our product portfolio before Diwali. Since entry-to-mid segment products sell mostly online, we will initially focus on them and gradually premiumise the portfolio," Nambiar told ET. 
 
As per industry executives, BPL is in no hurry to take the brand offline because staying online will save it around 20-25% as compared to the offline business, which would require an offline distribution network and trade margins. 
 
In the last 10 years, the company has been focusing focus on medical technology and home automation. 
 
<a href="http://d152j5tfobgaot.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/AJ_22.jpg">Image source</a>

BPL is confident about its return to the consumer electronic market after 10 years

The government is now opting for a more scientific way for implementing social welfare programmes in a move to tackle poverty better by weeding out underserving beneficiaries. 
 The government will be adopting the Socio-Economic and <keyword id="147447" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Caste-census">Caste Census</keyword> (SECC) instead of the poverty line-based method to identify recipients for its pro-poor schemes. The SECC 2011 ranks households based on their socio-economic status to enable state governments to prepare a list of families living below the poverty line. It also makes available information regarding the socio-economic condition and education status of various castes and sections of the population. 
 SECC 2011 will be used by the <keyword id="386230" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Rural-Development">Ministry of Rural Development</keyword> from this year for its <keyword id="673406" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Social-Assistance-Programme">National Social Assistance Programme</keyword> to pay pension to rural poor and National Rural Livelihood Mission. Both schemes use <keyword id="49514" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="bpl">BPL</keyword> data to estimate the number of the poor. 
 
"BPL data tells us how many are poor and SECC who are those poor... it is a more targeted and scientific approach in ensuring the right person gets the benefit,” a senior official told ET. 
 To study the validity and efficiency of the SECC 2011 data, a <keyword id="3040491" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sumit-Bose-committee">Sumit Bose Committee</keyword> formed. It will look over the data that identify the poor recently submitted its report, which is in favour of using the information for rural development schemes. The committee also developed a formula based on deprivation parameters to identify beneficiaries for specific schemes. 
 
The greater the deprivation score, the higher will be the ranking of a household for getting government assistance. The government is also identifying workers under the national rural employment guarantee scheme who have reported deprivation in the SECC study. 
 In March 2016, the ministry amended the <keyword id="71242" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indira-Awaas-Yojana">Indira Awaas Yojana</keyword>, now called the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin, and changed the selection criterion of beneficiaries from "below poverty line, to the SECC 2011data. 
 
"To ensure assistance is targeted at those who are genuinely deprived and the selection is objective and verifiable, PMAY-G, instead of selecting a beneficiary from among the BPL households, selects beneficiaries using SECC-2011data,, according to the framework for the scheme. Other government departments including health and electricity are also inclined to use SECC data.

Government to use scientific methods to implement social welfare schemes and fight poverty

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Americans are lonely. They don't know where to work or how to save money on socializing.</li><li>There's a higher demand for third spaces, where people can convene outside of the home and office.</li></ul>Stephanie Garcia was dressed up as Emily Dickinson in a billowy black dress on a recent Thursday evening outside the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-beautiful-libraries-2017-5">Library of Congress</a> in Washington, DC.Standing in a line of hundreds of costumed people waiting to get into the iconic building, the 53-year-old Department of Labor employee chatted with two of her colleagues, who were dressed as Lisbeth Salander from "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" and Willa Cather, the 20th century American writer.The three were among about 2,000 people who scored free tickets to the Library of Congress' first-ever Literary Costume Ball, an elaborate event featuring attractions including a DJ, dance floor, rare book exhibits, and literary-themed cocktails and snacks. Garcia, who works a few blocks away, long thought of the imposing building as a place for research. "I did my thesis here, so I spent a whole year downstairs," she said. But these days, she uses it more as a place to have fun. She loves the Library's relatively new after-hours programming. "Events like this bring people to the library. It's very important because nobody reads anymore," she said with a laugh.It's a new bet from libraries, and one that could help address a huge problem the American workforce faces: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-gen-z-blame-loneliness-on-housing-affordability-crisis-2023-4">Everyone's lonely, and no one knows where to go</a>. If libraries can convince people they're for more than just quiet reading, they might just be able to reshape the new social landscape.Three years into the hybrid and work-from-home world, social time has plummeted. Americans aren't socializing on weekdays, and are spending even less time with friends. Loneliness is on the rise. And it's becoming clearer just how important <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/loneliness-epidemic-decline-in-third-places-friends-parks-community-2023-9">"third places"</a> — spaces for socializing outside of work and home — are.But for cash-strapped Americans, going out for food or drinks is becoming even more costly. That's where libraries come in. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-entrepreneurs-use-library-for-free-resources-to-get-ahead-2020-3">Today's libraries</a> have quietly shed their reputations as just book-borrowing hubs, offering patrons maker spaces, coworking spots, rooftop decks, and even dance parties — at no charge. And, if enough people take advantage of them, they could be key to solving the loneliness puzzle.<div type="image" title="Attendees at the Library of Congress' Literary Costume Ball line up outside the building." height="850" width="1280" msid="103908903" hostid="261" sizebytes="102048"></div>Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, said she wants the Library to be a place that isn't just for tourists, but functions as an "uber third place for DC residents," she said."We're really trying to make the Library of Congress more a part of the cultural and even social scene in DC," she said in an interview inside her ceremonial office. <h2>The office took over our lives, and then it disappeared</h2> Over the last 15 or so years, Americans in traditionally white-collar careers have been spending more time working and less time socializing. The office became a social hub for workers who only had time to wake up, commute, and then commute home to do it all over again — look no further than television shows like "The Office," "Superstore," or "Industry," where almost all socializing was mediated through work.At the same time, third places have been in decline for decades. Traditional centers of community like churches and local civil organizations have grown less popular. Younger people are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/young-women-sober-curious-movement-bella-hadid-kin-ritual-2021-11">drinking less and much more sober curious</a>, leaving a void for a hangout space that isn't a bar. And the privatization and rising costs of other gathering spaces — from $6 coffees to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/work-from-home-anywhere-but-office-coworking-gyms-2023-8">$200 gym memberships</a> — have narrowed access to spaces they might want to be in. Libraries are no exception. Between 2000 and 2018, visits to American public libraries dropped by 31%, <a href="https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/86256-report-urges-library-leaders-to-address-decline-in-public-library-usage.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one report found</a>. Almost 60% of Americans <a href="https://www.americansurveycenter.org/research/public-places-and-commercial-spaces-how-neighborhood-amenities-foster-trust-and-connection-in-american-communities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surveyed in 2021</a> said they seldom or never visit their local public library. Meanwhile, Americans have started spending a lot less time with friends and a lot more time online. From 2014 to 2019, the amount of time Americans reported spending with friends <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/11/23/americans-alone-thanksgiving-friends/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped by 37%</a>, from about 6 ½ hours to four hours a week.Then came 2020. Offices suddenly vanished for many and remote and hybrid work have taken over. Where's everyone supposed to go?<div type="image" title="The DJ kept the dance floor going all night at the Library of Congress." height="2368" width="3568" msid="103908908" hostid="261" sizebytes="539662"></div>"It's so new for everyone, the merging of your first and second place," Brittany Simmons, a New York-based urban planner at a private firm who's racked up over 2 million likes on TikTok for her videos on urban planning, told Insider. For some, especially as socializing went virtual during the pandemic, there was a realization: "Now I just have one place."People want to get out and do things, Simmons said — just not in either of those places. Maybe that's why <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/loneliness-socializing-hard-work-from-home-return-to-office-2023-8">hours spent socializing</a> have not ticked back up in recent years, like they did after past recessions."A lot of people like hybrid or remote work, but are really feeling the need for something else, really want their third place," she said. <h2>Libraries could be the answer</h2>Libraries are in many ways the ideal third place. They welcome all kinds of people. They're multi-purpose venues for a range of activities. And they're free."In many ways we see libraries as able to create that third space for people to work remotely, to come in and meet with people and serve in many ways much like a coworking space does. But the big difference being a public library is free for everyone to use," Brooks Rainwater, the president and CEO of the Urban Libraries Council, told Insider.But people often don't see them as places to hang out and socialize. "It's one of those old stereotypes that just won't die that libraries are quiet places and they're reserved for silent study, but it's just not that way anymore. They're actually very vibrant places," said Emma Wood, a librarian at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.That's certainly the case for the Library of Congress. "The duality of it is yes, we are a world class research institution, we are a cultural destination, we are a monument to knowledge, and a DC tourism destination, but we're also the local library for a lot of Capitol Hill residents," said Katie Davidovich, the chief of visitor engagement at the Library of Congress. In May 2022, the Library began opening its doors every Thursday night until 8:30 pm for its Live! at the Library events, like the recent costume ball. Other Thursday night events feature concerts, book talks, and exhibits. They're popular for dates and group happy hours. "I think we really found our audience recently — we've had huge numbers at these programs over this summer," Davidovich said, adding that there are fewer tourists at the happy hour events. "There's a lot of intention around people coming to these programs."<div type="image" title="Attendees at the Library of Congress' Literary Costume Ball mingle on the Mezzanine." height="850" width="1280" msid="103908910" hostid="261" sizebytes="87710"></div>College libraries are also expanding into third places for students. Tim Peters, the associate dean of university libraries at Central Michigan University, said that surveys have found students like the new comfy chairs, collaborative study rooms, and even tables that are easier to push together.Peters has set out to make the university's libraries meet students where they are. That includes switching up hours after Peters noticed several students trying to come in right before closing time. That's "just recognition that students have different schedules than the library, perhaps. We're making that space available for them to do work."Wood, who thinks libraries are "one of the last true third places," explained that there are a range of spaces in her library. The first floor is the "loud floor," she said, where students socialize, take Zoom calls with their families and therapists, or have a snack at the cafe. To open libraries up to more people, Samuel Abrams, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, says they should extend their hours. They should also incorporate businesses like cafes, shops, and restaurants to attract even more people in. Abrams said he regularly drops by the New York Public Library just to pick up sticky buns from Amy's Bread, a bakery with an outpost in the library. Public-private partnerships, he argued, can help fill funding gaps. Abrams noted that some libraries have moved many of their books to open up spaces that operate more as community centers. "The most effective libraries enable communities and a whole host of people to congregate and socialize," he said. One trickier challenge is that there simply aren't enough libraries. Abrams' research has found that in order to become regular hangouts, libraries also need to be within 10 or 15 minutes walking or driving of people's homes. Library attendance still hasn't reached pre-pandemic numbers. Over 279 million people made in-person visits to libraries in 2019, according to a ULC survey of nearly 100 members across the US and Canada; in 2022, there were only 153 million visits. But, Rainwater said, "once we have the full numbers from 2023, I expect to see that coming close to back where it was pre-pandemic."<div type="image" title="A caricature artist at work at the Library of Congress' Literary Costume Ball." height="2368" width="3568" msid="103908912" hostid="261" sizebytes="264056"></div>In Boston, for instance, the Boston Public Library is thriving, Gregor Smart, the head of the Kirstein Business Library and Innovation Center at BPL, said. The institution has "weathered a variety of storms," including new bookstores and coworking spaces moving in on its turf, and has still emerged strong. That might just be because it's a quintessential third space. "I like to think of us like the third leg of a stool," Smart said. "We have a physical space that people can come to. We have the resources and then we have a slate of KBLIC advisors to help you, whether you're looking to start a business, need help with building credit, tax assistance."In KBLIC, library patrons can book alcoves for calls, or private classrooms for small group projects. Covid taught the library the need for things like Macs with webcams, for instance, so library goers can hop on Zoom or do job interviews."I certainly hear from people who are working remotely, they have an apartment or some place to be, but they can't be there due to roommates, due to distractions," Smart said. "And they're finding that this is a great place to be."

Feeling lonely? Go to the library.

<ul><li>Founded in 2016, <keyword id="3270416" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="haqdarshak" source="Orion">Haqdarshak</keyword> is a mobile and web platform connecting citizens to eligible government welfare schemes. </li><li>In six years, Haqdarshak claims to have aided the disbursal of over ₹5,000 crore, serving nearly 25 lakh customers and 50,000 micro-businesses. </li><li>Haqdarshak received a joint offer of ₹1 crore for 2% equity from judges Namita Thapar, Aman Gupta and <keyword id="824423" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="peyush-bansal" source="Orion">Peyush Bansal</keyword>. </li></ul>The Indian government has many social benefit schemes for the underprivileged. However, a vast section of the intended beneficiaries are unaware of such schemes, and a majority of those who are aware are unable to access them due to roadblocks like lack of documentation and an inability to submit the documents. Moreover, many such beneficiaries of pension schemes, scholarship schemes, health insurance and others reside in remote areas of this vast country. Bringing them into the fold by aiding people with Aadhar cards; micro SMEs with Udyog Aadhar; easing access to widow pension and more are the pain points that a startup, Haqdarshak, wants to solve. It made its pitch on <keyword id="13768438" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shark-tank-india-season-2" source="Orion">Shark Tank India Season 2</keyword> this week. In 2016, Aniket Doegar, who has ample exposure to rural <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> via his work and interests, started Haqdarshak in Pune. It has <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/haqdarshak/">positioned </a>itself as a “next-gen, for-profit startup focused on social impact” and has a mobile and web platform. It <a href="https://www.sonyliv.com/shows/shark-tank-india-1700000741/determined-entrepreneurs-1000203893?watch=true">claims </a>to have served over 25 lakh customers and 50,000 micro-businesses and trained 25,000 agents. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Commission-based revenue model" comment="subhead2" text="Commission-based revenue model">Commission-based revenue model</cmsannotation> Haqdarshak trains its agents to provide what it calls ‘last-mile’ assistance. Agents organise community gatherings or go door-to-door to educate people about the available schemes. They also assist them in availing the schemes. An agent registers a family or individual on the Haqdarshak app and gathers information regarding their housing conditions, income, religion, caste, etc. Once the questions (40-45) are answered, the app shares the number of eligible welfare schemes. As per Doegar, the average number of schemes available to beneficiaries in rural India are between 50-55, while in urban India that number falls to 35-40. A customer is charged a nominal amount of ₹50 rupees (without GST) as a service charge, which is split between the agent and the company. An agent earns anywhere between ₹20,000 to ₹25,000 per month. “In 2020-2021, multiple investors told us to turn the company into a fintech or edtech company, offering educational schemes or loans. But our goal is to become India’s biggest social security company in the next 10 years. Today, if Jyoti (one of the agents) goes to the community, they know she’s providing them with something. This will change if she starts asking for money (for loans, etc.),” shared Doegar on the show. In six years, Doegar claimed that Haqdarshak aided the disbursal of ₹5,000 crore to the beneficiaries via social schemes. In May 2016, the startup raised ₹1.25 crore from angel investors at a valuation of ₹10 crore, and in May 2021, it <a href="https://yourstory.com/2021/05/funding-alert-social-enterprise-startup-haqdarshak-pre-series-a-round">raised</a> ₹6.65 crore in a pre-Series A round. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="‘Social impact and sales is a rare feat’" comment="subhead2" text="‘Social impact and sales is a rare feat’">‘Social impact and sales is a rare feat’</cmsannotation> Impressed by his clarity, product, and vision, Lenskart co-founder Peyush Bansal made the first offer — ₹1 crore for 2% equity, which valued the company at ₹50 crore. Emcure Pharmaceuticals’ ED Namita Thapar and boAt’s co-founder Aman Gupta made a joint offer of ₹50 lakh for 1% equity; and ₹50 lakh debt at an interest rate of 10%, at the same valuation. The founder sought a collective investment of ₹1 crore from all three sharks for 0.5% equity, each. The sharks clarified that they wouldn’t budge from the equity share of 2%. Ultimately, the deal was finalised for ₹1 crore, from the three sharks, for a total of 2% equity. While congratulating him, Thapar commented that it was rare for (social) impact and sales to come together like it has for Haqdarshak. The startup generated revenue of ₹15.5 crore in FY22 but suffered a loss for the first time ever since inception as Covid forced them to shut operations for four months. It believes that it will close FY23 with annual revenue of ₹30 crore. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="‘When a poor person visits a pension office’" comment="subhead2" text="‘When a poor person visits a pension office’">‘When a poor person visits a pension office’</cmsannotation> Born and raised in Shimla, 33-year-old Doegar completed his undergraduate studies from Shri Ram College of Commerce in Delhi. After completing graduation in 2010, he worked at the grassroots level for nearly five years at various government schools in rural Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan and other states. He was also a Teach for India fellow from June 2010 to April 2012. He soon realised that there was a lack of awareness about government welfare schemes. “When people like you and me go to passport or visa centres, we’re greeted with folded hands, with people saying, ‘Sir, your appointment is next.’ When a poor person visits the pension officer, he has to beg for the pension he is entitled to. Can we change this user behaviour?” remarked Doegar on the show. The startup claims to have digitised close to 7,500 government schemes on its platform. It provides assistance across multiple schemes, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/haqdarshak/?hl=en">including </a>the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana – which provides clean cooking alternatives like Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) connections to BPL households; and Vishwakarma Shram Samman Yojana – UP government’s scheme to encourage self-employment among the state’s artisans. Apart from people, it also works with corporates to enroll their factory employees into government schemes. As of 2022, the startup has worked with 110 corporates representing nearly 10 million of their employees – and corporates are charged higher than individuals. The latest offering by Haqdarshak is a QR-code-based “Yojana Card” that allows customers to check various government schemes and ask for application support from Haqdarshak, if needed. A customer can scan the QR code through a smartphone. In the absence of a smartphone, the customer can reach any Hadardshak centre and scan the card. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/intel-unveils-4th-gen-xeon-scalable-processors-with-better-performance/articleshow/96905773.cms">Intel unveils 4th Gen Xeon Scalable processors with better performance</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/hyundai-launched-the-all-electric-suv-ioniq-5-starting-at-449500-in-india/slidelist/96905388.cms">Hyundai launched the all-electric SUV IONIQ 5 starting at ₹4,49,500 in India</a>

This Shark Tank India S2 winner bowls judges over with its for-profit approach to social impact

<ul><li>Metal and mining magnate <keyword id="6354819" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Anil-Agarwal" source="Orion">Anil Agarwal</keyword> has announced investments of ₹1.8 lakh crore in the past one week.</li><li>After building his fortune with metals, <keyword id="781" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="agarwal" source="Orion">Agarwal</keyword> is now turning his gaze to semiconductor chips, a key to the modern world’s lifestyle.</li><li>Here’s the story of a boy from Bihar who made it, knowing only two English words – “yes” and “no”.</li></ul> Metal and mining magnate Anil Agarwal is in the news yet again – this time around, it’s for announcing an investment of ₹1.54 lakh crore to set up a semiconductor chipset manufacturing plant in Gujarat, in partnership with Taiwan-based Foxconn. In the same breath, Agarwal also announced an investment of ₹25,000 crore in Odisha – a key investment for <keyword id="28423" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vedanta" source="Orion">Vedanta</keyword> – topping up his initial investment of ₹80,000 crore in the coastal state. Clearly, money’s not in short supply for Agarwal, but it wasn’t always the case for the man who hails from Bihar and knew only two English words – “yes” and “no” – when he came to Mumbai in the 1970s. Over the past five decades and then some, Agarwal built a metal and mining empire and got the first Indian company listed on the London Stock Exchange – Vedanta. So how did a boy from Bihar who knew the two most basic English words go onto list his company in the heart of the English world? Here’s a peek into how. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="86453777" title="Girish Mathrubootham, the son of a retired bank officer who built a $13 billion company in just 10 years" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Starting small" comment="subhead" text="Starting small">Starting small</cmsannotation> Agarwal was a teenager when he joined his father’s business of aluminum conductors and scrap metal trading. Born in a marwadi family, taking up his family business might seem like such an obvious – yet stereotypical – thing to do. While his father’s business was not where he would make money, it would become a founding block of his future success. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="City of dreams calling" comment="subhead" text="City of dreams calling">City of dreams calling</cmsannotation> At 19, Agarwal left the comfort of his family home and Patna, leaving for the hustle of Bombay. It would take two more decades for the city that made him rich to be renamed to Mumbai, and a lot would change in Agarwal’s life in this time. Agarwal never went to a college, let alone a business school. But within a small time, he acquired his first company which was on the brink of bankruptcy. Unsurprisingly, it was a copper company named Shamsher Sterling Corporation. He cobbled up ₹16 lakh – a handsome amount for the 1970s – from his own savings, friends and family. Agarwal still ran his primary business of trading in scrap metal – for the next 10 years, he ran both side by side. In 1986, he created Sterlite Industries which would go on to become the largest producer of copper in India, but its beginnings were earnest and small. The company launched an IPO in 1988 to finance its polythene-insulated jelly filled copper telephone cables plant. Seven years later, Agarwal acquired an 83% stake in Madras Aluminium, a ‘sick’ company, for ₹55 crore. This would set the tone for Agarwal’s business strategies over the next few decades, wherein he would identify undervalued assets and turn them around into huge revenue streams. For instance, Agarwal acquired a mine in Tasmania for a paltry sum of $2.5 million and turned it into a $100 million annual revenue stream. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="91829090" title="Understanding Gautam Adani’s rise: a story on how to generate wealth via hope, equity and of course debt" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> He also acquired Hindustan Zinc, another PSU sold by the government as part of its divestment program, in 2002. At the time of acquisition, it was said that the company had a reserve for five years, and a manufacturing capacity of 1.5 lakh tonnes of zinc per annum. However, now the company is still operational and has expanded its capacity to 1 million tonnes. Agarwal<a href="https://www.bcg.com/publications/2014/anil-agarwal-simplicity-determination-vedanta-resources"> said</a> in an interview that the company has reserves for another 40 years. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="From an 8x9 feet rented office in Mumbai to London" comment="subhead" text="From an 8x9 feet rented office in Mumbai to London">From an 8x9 feet rented office in Mumbai to London</cmsannotation> When Agarwal arrived in Mumbai, all he had was a tiffin box and bedding. He shared a room with seven other people for ₹21. Agarwal rented out an 8x9 feet office to buy and sell scrap metal. Following decades of hard work, sharp business acumen and acquiring undervalued assets, it was time for Vedanta to go global. But what triggered Vedanta’s listing at the London Stock Exchange was Agarwal’s involvement with Harshad Mehta – in a bid to make a comeback, Mehta drove up the prices of three stocks – Agarwal’s Sterlite, and Videocon and BPL. “My wife, Kiran, thought I was crazy when I told her that we are moving to London overnight. She went to our daughter Priya’s school and asked them for a 6-month leave because she was sure we would be back by then,” Agarwal shared in a note. Agarwal reached the English shores and got Vedanta Resources listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in 2003, making him the first Indian to get a company listed on LSE. Over the next decade, Vedanta acquired several mines across Africa, Australia and other regions. After mining and metals, Agarwal turned his eye to oil and natural gas, announcing a $9 billion deal to acquire Cairn India, the country’s largest private sector oil producer. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The $20 billion mega-merger of 2012" comment="subhead" text="The $20 billion mega-merger of 2012">The $20 billion mega-merger of 2012</cmsannotation> In 2012, Vedanta Resources Plc announced a merger of its Indian firms – Sesa Goa, Sterlite, Vedanta Aluminium, and Madras Aluminium into a single entity named Sesa Sterlite. The merged entity, Sesa Sterlite, was valued at over $20 billion, making it the seventh largest global diversified natural resources major. At the time, Agarwal said it would result in a savings of ₹1,000 crore every year. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Taking Vedanta private" comment="subhead" text="Taking Vedanta private">Taking Vedanta private</cmsannotation> Getting Vedanta listed on the LSE was one of Agarwal’s dreams, but 15 years later, in 2018, the mining magnate delisted the company and took it private. The “why” of it is easy to understand – Vedanta was undervalued during the commodity slump of 2018, and a majority of the capital expenditure had already been made by then. Agarwal sensed an opportunity to take the company private at a lower price and reap the rewards during the next cyclical upswing of commodities. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Looking ahead" comment="subhead" text="Looking ahead">Looking ahead</cmsannotation> With the semiconductor chipset shortage hurting the electronics and automobile industry globally, and countries trying to reduce their dependence on China for this crucial piece of tech, Agarwal has shifted his focus with the ₹1.54 lakh crore investment announcement in Gujarat. Will it come to fruition or not is a story for another day, though. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/gautam-adani-just-1-billion-away-from-becoming-the-second-richest-person-in-the-world-as-per-bloomberg-index-report/articleshow/94242575.cms">Gautam Adani is $1 billion away from beating Jeff Bezos as the second richest person in the world</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/gautam-adani-a-story-on-how-to-generate-wealth-via-hope-fomo-and-of-course-debt/articleshow/91829090.cms">Understanding Gautam Adani’s rise: a story on how to generate wealth via hope, equity and of course debt</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/meet-girish-mathrubootham-founder-and-ceo-of-freshworks/articleshow/86453777.cms">Girish Mathrubootham, the son of a retired bank officer who built a $13 billion company in just 10 years</a>

Anil Agarwal – how a Bihar boy who knew only ‘yes’ and ‘no’ went onto list the first Indian company on London Stock Exchange

New Delhi, In order to allow Ujjwala beneficiaries get their full quota of three <keyword id="51661" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="cooking-gas">cooking gas</keyword> cylinders free of charge, the government on Wednesday extended the time limit for availing the benefit by three months till September 30. The decision on the extension was taken by <keyword id="3466084" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-union-cabinet">the Union Cabinet</keyword> which also approved a host of measures aimed at helping the poor and vulnerable sections of the society overcome the pangs of the Covid-19 crisis. Under the Ujjwala Yojana, the government gives <keyword id="7575050" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="free-cooking-gas">free cooking gas</keyword> connection to women members of BPL families. There are about 7.49 crore Ujjwala beneficiaries as of now. Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana announced earlier to provide a safety net to the poor and vulnerable who had been hit the hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic, the government announced three free cylinders for Ujjwala beneficiaries for three months between April and June. But since several beneficiaries could not take the benefit of the entire scheme, the government has extended the deadline. Under the scheme, Rs 9,709.86 crore was transferred directly into the bank accounts of Ujjwala beneficiaries during April-June 2020 and 11.97 crore cylinders were delivered to the PMUY beneficiaries. The scheme went a long way to ameliorate the suffering and disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. On review of the scheme, it was observed that a section of PMUY beneficiaries were yet to utilise the advance credited into their account to purchase the cylinder refill within the scheme period. Hence, the Cabinet has approved the proposal of <keyword id="9269994" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-ministry-of-petroleum-natural-gas">the Ministry of Petroleum &amp; Natural Gas</keyword> to extend the time limit for availing the advance by three more months, a government statement said. This will benefit those PMUY beneficiaries who have been credited with the advance for buying cylinders, but have not been able to purchase the refill. Thus, the beneficiaries who already have the advance transferred to their accounts can now take the free refill delivery till September 30.

Free LPG cylinders for Ujjwala Yojana extended till September 30

Ranchi, Mar 3 () The Jharkhand government on Tuesday proposed to set up a state farmers relief fund this kharif season, state finance minister Rameshwar Oraon said while presenting budget for 2020-21 in the assembly.He said a sum of Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for the proposed relief fund.Oraon presented an estimated Rs 86,370 crore budget for the financial year 2020-21 in the house, the first one of the new JMM-Congress-RJD ministry headed by Hemant Soren."There is a proposal to set up Jharkhand Rajya Kisan Rahat Kosh (farmers relief fund) from this Kharif season, changing the form of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)," Oraon said.The minister, however, did not elaborate about the proposal.The Soren-led government came to power in Jharkhand after elections in November-December last year.PMFBY was introduced on January 14, 2016 with an aim to reduce agricultural distress and farmers welfare without having to affect hefty hikes in the minimum support price (MSP) for agricultural products due to monsoonfluctuation induced risks.Oraon said in his budget speech that out of the total budget, Rs 73,315.94 crore is under the head of revenue expenditure, while Rs 13,054.06 crore on the capital expenditure.He also said that the state government has decided to introduce "Short Term Agriculture Loan Relief Yojana", underlining Rs 2,000 crore for 2020-21 fiscal for the scheme.Another Rs 200 crore has been allocated under the "Paddy Production &amp; Market Accessibility," the finance minister said.Announcing a new scheme Modern Diagnostic &amp; Other Testing Lab along with ambulance facilities for animals, Oraon said women from the above poverty line would be connected with the ongoing scheme of distribution of cows along with the BPL families.There is also a proposal to give an additional Rs 50,000 to the beneficiaries under "Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana" and allowing them to construct houses as per their choice.The minister also said that Rs 4,199 crore has been earmarked for constructing five thousand housing units under "Baba Saheb Ambedkar Yojana" in the new financial year.The government has set a target to connect one lakh families under "Livelihood Promotion" scheme in paddy cultivation, poultry, vegetables and medicinal herbs, he said.Under the "Mukhya Mantri Visesh Chhatra Vriti Yojana" (Chief Ministers Special Students Scholarship), he said that the government has earmarked Rs 30 crore with a proposal to give scholarship to all the students, from Class I to Class XII of the government schools.The minister said that there is also a proposal of Rs 1,660.77 crore to ensure regular honorarium to para teachers.The honorarium of Cook-cum-Sahaika engaged in preparations of midday meals will be increased by Rs 500, taking their monthly payment to Rs 2,000.The government has also taken several measures in the sectors of health, industry, tourism, skill development and among others. PVR SNS BALBAL

Soren govt proposes to set up farmers relief fund in budget

<ul><li>The <keyword id="3351117" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ujjwala-scheme">Ujjwala scheme</keyword> which provides free cooking gas connections to poor Indian homes has been a big vote gatherer for Narendra Modi.</li><li>The Indian Prime Minister wants to expand the programme to cover 8 million more households in the first 100 days of his second term.</li><li>So far, 72 million households in India have received free cooking gas connections from the government under the subsidy programme launched 3 years ago.</li></ul>The Ujjwala scheme, which provides free cooking gas connections to poor Indian homes, has been a big vote gatherer for Narendra Modi. The Indian Prime Minister wants to expand the programme to cover 8 million more households in the first 100 days of his second term. The scheme, which targets female members of below poverty line families that used conventional coal as cooking fuel, was launched on May 1, 2016 and has covered 72 million homes. The original target was 80 million, which the government wants to cover in the first 100 days. In addition, another 10-20 million new LPG connections would be given in subsequent months to cover all poor households as part of a Cabinet decision taken late last year, the IANS reported. There are about 5-6% of India's household which still do not have access to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking, according to government data. The flip side While this move from the government has been lauded by many as a transformational step, it has also been criticised as just half a step. Poor people may have received a free connection and escaped the deadly pollution from the coal used for cooking earlier, the subsequent refills of LPG cylinders have proven too costly. And that may be the focus in the next phase of this programme-- ensuring that people do get a refill and do not go back to coal. The government is also toying with the idea of providing smaller LPG gas cylinders weighing about five kilogrmas (kg) compared to the current one which is 14.2 kg, according to a news agency. This may bring down the cost of refill as well as the burden on the exchequer if the government decides to cover the cost and transfer the money under the direct benefit transfer scheme. Currently, every LPG cylinder costs anywhere between ₹600 and ₹650 in the metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. After the subsidy under Ujjwala scheme, the cost comes down to a little less than ₹500 per cylinder. The subsidy is transfered directly to the eligible beneficiaries' bank accounts. The money Under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), gas connections are provided to BPL families with a support of ₹1,600 for each connection. The LPG connection is provided in the name of the female member of the family. A sum of ₹8,000 crore was allocated for the scheme to start with but was later expanded to ₹4,800 crore as the target homes increased from 50 million to 80 million. In December, the Union Cabinet also decided to cover all poor households under the scheme that would further increase the number of new connections by 10-20 million. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/transportation/indian-railways-will-spend-nearly-a-billion-dollars-to-cut-travel-time-between-delhi-mumbai-and-delhi-howrah-by-5-hours/articleshow/70254817.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Indian Railways will spend nearly a billion dollars to cut travel time between Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah by 5 hours</a>

Narendra Modi aims to offer 8 million more cooking gas connections in the first 100 days of his second term-- and follow it up with smaller cylinders to encourage refills

Presenting his third budget, <keyword id="42575" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arun-Jaitley">Arun Jaitley</keyword> today announced some key new schemes while presenting the <keyword id="3206186" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Union-Budget-2016">Union Budget 2016</keyword>. Here are the highlights- 
 
AGRICULTURE

	 
	Stating that agriculture and the security of farmers are a chief area of focus for the government, he went ahead to state that under Fasal Bima Yojana, farmers would have to pay a nominal amount of insurance premium and a highest ever compensation in case of crop loss. 
	To ensure this is done, he has allocated Rs 5,500 crores in the Budget. 
	 
	The allocation to Pradhan Mantri’s Gram Sadak Yojna to be increased to Rs 19,000 crore. 
	 Additionally, to give further income security to the very people who ensure our food security, <keyword id="6355261" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-minister">Finance Minister</keyword> Arun Jaitley promised to double the income of farmers by 2022. Thus, an amount of Rs 35,894 crore has been set aside for the welfare of farmers this year. 
	The Pradhanmantri Krishi Sinchaai Yojana is thus strengthened and implemented in mission mode. 
	 
	 
	LPG GAS CONNECTION FOR BPL FAMILIES 
	 
	Jaitley also announced launching another initiative to provide cooking subsidy to BPL families so as to rid them from the adverse effects of chura cooking. 
	 
	He explained that the government would provide a LPG connection to families in the name of the woman members. A sum of Rs 2,000 crore has been allocated to meet the initial cost of providing the LPG connection. According to the Finance Minister, approximately 1,50,00,000 BPL houses. 
	 
	The scheme is expected to continue for more than two years and will cover atleast 5 crore houses. 
	 
	This will not only ensure universal coverage of cooking gas in the country but will also improve women’s health and provide employment in supply chain of the cooking gases for the youth in rural areas. 
	 
	 
	DIGITAL LITERARY SCHEMES 
	 
	As part of the government's increased rural push, Jaitley also launched two new digital literary schemes for rural India. 
	 
	 
	SWACCHH BHARAT ABHIGYAN 
	 
	Additionally, Rs 9000 crore has been allocated for Swacchh Bharat Abhigyan in a bit to put an end to open defecation. 
	 
	 
	HEALTH INSURANCE 
	 
	There’s also the health protection scheme which guarantees a health cover of Rs 1,30,000 for senior citizens. There will be an additional topup of Rs 30,000 per family and 300 generic drug stores to be opened under Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadi Yojana. 
	 
	 
	STANDUP INDIA 
	 As far as Standup India is concerned, Jaitley has allocated Rs 500 crore to ensure <keyword id="107737" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Entrepreneurship">entrepreneurship</keyword> to ST/SCs and women. He wants them to be job-givers and not seekers. Under this, two projects will be promoted ber bank per branch per category. 
	 
	“On the occasion of B.R Ambedkar’s 125th anniversary, we must ensure that this must be the year of <keyword id="352701" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Economic-Development">economic development</keyword> for ST/SCs,” he said. 
	 
	 
	NATIONAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT MISSION 
	 
	Also, under the National Skill Development Mission which has imparted training to 76 lakh youth, 1500 multi skill-training institutes would be set up, Jaitley announced. 
	 
	Under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, the aim would be to skill 1 crore youth in the next 3 years. 
	 
	BI VIEW: In times of distress, the Modi government turned to rural India. The cooking subsidy, digital literary scheme is bound to make a statement, so is the push for farmers' welfare in light of the drought and farmer suicides. Additionally, after Rohith Vermula's tragic death that captured the appetite of Indian citizens, encouraging entrepreneurship for SC/STs is undoubtedly a welcome change. 
	 
	Image credit: PIB India

Budget 2016: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's big scheme announcements focus on rural India, agriculture and SC/STs

The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=prime+minister+narendra+modi&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Prime Minister Narendra </a><a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=prime+minister+narendra+modi&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Modi</a>-led Indian Government is planning to help the urban poor pay the house rent. It is going to roll out a scheme in which the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Indian+government&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Centre </a>will give rent vouchers to the urban poor. 
 
The Rs 2,700-crore welfare scheme will be launched across 100 <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=smart+cities&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">smart cities</a> for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=below+poverty+line&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">below poverty line</a> (BPL) families. 
 Under the scheme, which is likely to cost Rs 2,713 crore every year to implement in <keyword id="6377036" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="smart-cities">smart cities</keyword>, the tenant would give these vouchers to the landowner, who in turn would be able to redeem them at any citizen service bureau. If the rent is higher than the value of rent voucher, the tenant would pay the difference in cash to the landowner. 
 
According to Census 2011, about 27.5% of urban residents lived in rented houses in 2011. 
 
A senior official of housing and urban poverty alleviation ministry told ET, "The rental voucher scheme is being looked at as a means to complement the Prime Minister Housing for All scheme.” 
 
"The recent implementation of the Benami Properties Act and rules open up another option for rental housing. An enabling provision would be inserted in the rules that houses confiscated by Central government which cannot be auctioned, could be let out by the Central government or through state governments as rental housing for the middle income group (MIG), LIG and economically weaker section (EWS) depending on the suitability and location of such properties,” the official told ET.

You Searched For "BPL families" and got 11 results

BI Investigation: India’s food nightmare is killing millions of children across the country every day

Suchayan Mandal

BPL is confident about its return to the consumer electronic market after 10 years

BI India Bureau

Government to use scientific methods to implement social welfare schemes and fight poverty

BI India Bureau

Feeling lonely? Go to the library.

Juliana Kaplan,Eliza Relman

This Shark Tank India S2 winner bowls judges over with its for-profit approach to social impact

Srishti Magan

Anil Agarwal – how a Bihar boy who knew only ‘yes’ and ‘no’ went onto list the first Indian company on London Stock Exchange

Rounak Jain

Free LPG cylinders for Ujjwala Yojana extended till September 30

BI India Bureau

Soren govt proposes to set up farmers relief fund in budget

PTI

Narendra Modi aims to offer 8 million more cooking gas connections in the first 100 days of his second term-- and follow it up with smaller cylinders to encourage refills

Sriram Iyer

Budget 2016: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's big scheme announcements focus on rural India, agriculture and SC/STs

Poulomi Das

Indian Govt may pay rent for urban poor in 100 cities; issue vouchers

BI India Bureau

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides