Direct benefit transfer
Bank sakhis help villagers get lockdown financial relief
In villages that lack banking facilities, banking correspondents carry out related work as banks’ representatives. They have been instrumental in beneficiaries receiving their lockdown welfare support
Make lives better for rural people
The new government should act swiftly to take a few measures that would improve the quality of life in rural India significantly without being a big drain on the exchequer
How poor breadwinners hit digital hurdle
Online procedures to avail of government welfare entitlements are big hurdles to unlettered villagers that sometimes lead to delays and loss, often adding to the distress of the rural poor
How useful will farmer support be?
It will not be easy to optimally deploy the basic income support announced by the government for small and marginal farmers. The scheme has large exclusions in the landless and the women as well
Technology-enabled sale streamlines fertilizer supply chain
Linking technology and Aadhaar unique identity numbers, the direct benefit transfer of fertilizer subsidy in Andhra Pradesh has helped in curbing malpractices and has benefited farmers by preventing leakages
Is direct benefit transfer really a panacea for the rural poor?
Given the complex and varied situations in rural India, the results of the direct benefit transfer method are so far mixed at best and debilitating at worst, as seen in the subsidies for farm equipment and fertilizers