Page 2 - Welfare Economy

Canadian politician Ed Broadbent, a social democracy stalwart, dies at 87

Ed Broadbent, a social democracy stalwart who helped build up Canada's leftist New Democratic Party, has died. He was 87. The Broadbent Institute, the Ottawa-based think tank he founded in 2011 to promote social and economic justice, announced his death Thursday. It not give a cause of death. The institute called Broadbent a fierce champion for ordinary Canadians. Many in Canada remember him as a tireless fixture of federal debate in the 1970s and 1980s, going toe-to-toe with four different prime ministers, including Pierre Trudeau and Brian Mulroney. Ed devoted decades of his life to fighting for justice and equality in Canada and around the world, the Broadbent Institute said. He was a rare intellectual who could connect the challenges faced by ordinary citizens with the movements and institutions striving for economic democracy. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement that Canada is better off thanks to Broadbent's selfless service. An advocate for equality and champ

SSY: Invest for its high and tax-free return with zero credit risk

Only parents of a girl child who do not mind the long lock-in should go for it

Nine out of 10 MSMEs expect to make profits this year, says report

Many companies plan to increase hiring and most expect they will need loans

Govt eyes doubling cash handout for women farmers ahead of Lok Sabha polls

The plan is likely to be announced in the budget on Feb. 1 and could cost the government an additional Rs 12,000 crore, said two of sources, all of whom declined to be named discussing budget proposal

CM Sukhu distributes relief package worth over Rs 9 cr in Sirmaur district

During his visit to Nahan in Sirmaur district, CM Sukhu disbursed Rs 1.98 crore to 66 families with completely damaged houses, providing each family with an initial instalment of Rs 3 lakh

Maha Cabinet clears OPS for state employees who joined after Nov 2005

The Maharashtra cabinet on Thursday cleared a proposal that offers an option of availing the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to the state government employees who joined the service after November 2005. The decision comes days after the government as well as semi-government employees and officials went on a strike to press for their demand of restoring the OPS. The cabinet gave its nod to the proposal that offers an option of the OPS to the state employees who joined the service post-November 2005, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said. Talking to PTI, Vishwas Katkar, general secretary of the Maharashtra state employees' confederation, said, "The cabinet's decision will benefit some 26,000 state government employees who were selected before November 2005 but received joining letters later. This decision will benefit only these 26,000 state employees." There are as many as 9.5 lakh state employees who joined the service before November 2005 and they already enjoy the benefits of the OPS.

Andhra to launch second phase of Jagananna Aarogya Suraksha tomorrow

The government has been revolutionising the health sector in the state with the aim of 'leave no one behind' and the 'leave no village behind' concept to provide quality health services free of cost

Kerala CM launches K-SMART App for digital access to local govt services

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the K-SMART application here on Monday, aiming to provide digital access to services offered by local self-government bodies through a unified platform across the state. During the launch, the chief minister said that the government's objective is to leverage advanced technology for the improvement of various sectors in society. With the introduction of K-SMART (Kerala Solutions for Managing Administrative Reformation and Transformation), he said that services provided by local self-government bodies will now be available at citizens' fingertips. Developed by the Information Kerala Mission for the Department of Local Self-Government, the app will be initially implemented in corporations and municipalities across the state. The next phase will involve extending its reach to Gram Panchayats starting April 1, as announced by the government. Officials highlighted that the K-SMART will streamline local government services in Kerala wit

Welfare promises, Modi magic bring BJP back in saddle in Chhattisgarh

A string of populist promises, including the extension of the free ration scheme announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Mahadev betting app issue and the Hindutva card are among key factors that catapulted BJP to power in Chhattisgarh after five years with the saffron party crossing the 50-mark for the first time since the formation of the state in 2000. The Congress failed to repeat its 2018 performance when it had won 68 out of 90 constituencies and had to contend with just 35 seats. The BJP proved the exit polls, which had given a slight edge to the Congress, wrong by improving its tally from 15 seats to 54 in the 90-member assembly. The scale of the Congress' defeat can be gauged from the fact that nine out of 13 ministers in the Bhupesh Baghel cabinet bit dust. Baghel (Patan constituency) and ministers Kawasi Lakhma (Konta), Umesh Patel (Kharsia) and Anila Bhendia (Dondi Lohara) managed to withstand the BJP wave. Chhattisgarh assembly speaker Charan Das Mahant won his

120 mn tribals benefitted from schemes launched by Centre, says Sonowal

The Union Minister paid floral tributes to Birsa Munda, the tribal icon whose birth anniversary is celebrated as the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas, at the village

No additional tax imposed for implementing welfare schemes: Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that his government has not imposed any additional taxes on the people for implementing various welfare schemes. He maintained that the state government was able to carry out the welfare activities due to the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was speaking at a programme where beneficiaries of the 'Orunodoi 2.0' scheme were handed their cards. Under the scheme, economically weak families receive Rs 1,250 in the bank account of the woman member every month to meet various household expenses. Under 'Orunodoi 2.0', around 7 lakh new names will be added to the list of beneficiaries, taking the total to 26 lakh. Over 25,000 new beneficiaries of Jorhat district received their cards at the programme. Taking on opposition parties for criticising the government for creating 'beneficiaries' through its various schemes, Sarma said, "As the chief minister, I will, of course, look to create 'hitadhikaris' (beneficiaries). "Thes

Kalaignar monthly aid scheme will reshape women's welfare in India: TN CM

The monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000 to women heads of family, the 'Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam,' is a groundbreaking initiative that will reshape women's welfare in India, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Thursday. The state will take a "historic leap" with the launch of the scheme on September 15, and the initiative will inspire other states in the country to roll out schemes to empower women, he said. "Tamil Nadu takes a historic leap with the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai scheme, offering Rs 1,000 monthly assistance to 1,06,50,000 women family heads," the CM said in the social media post X. "A groundbreaking initiative reshaping women's welfare in India, which is set to inspire many other states," he said ahead of the launch. He further said that the "visionary" finance minister Thangam Thennarasu had shed light on the pioneering KMUT scheme and the government's commitment to improving the finances in the state. Stalin, who is the president of the DMK, will

Social welfare spending by states to touch 10-year high this year: CRISIL

CRISIL added that the rise in allocation towards social welfare has coincided with a moderation in the growth of revenue receipts, resulting in continuing revenue deficits for the states

In a historic first, forest dwellers get land deeds in Chhattisgarh

The development will facilitate villagers in getting benefits of welfare schemes of the Central and state governments

Consensus on public welfare issues among parties in India: Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday said there is consensus on issues of public welfare among political parties in India notwithstanding differences of opinion. Birla is leading an Indian Parliamentary Delegation to Mexico. He unveiled a bust of freedom fighter Pandurang Khankhoje at Chapingo University in Mexico on Friday. Recalling Khankhoje's contribution, Birla said he was an outstanding Indian revolutionary, scholar, agricultural scientist and statesman. Talking about successful governance in India through democratic means, he said Indian Parliament is the epitome of the will and aspirations of the people of the country. "Matters of public importance are raised in Parliament by members of both ruling and opposition parties. Notwithstanding differences of opinion, there is consensus on issues of public welfare," Birla said. He said parliamentary committees are functioning as effective mechanisms to ensure accountability of the executive. Birla also called on President of the

AAP is to economic sense what BJP is to social harmony. Disastrous

Both have defied common sense and pursued political power ruthlessly, without regard to long-term consequences

Freebies vs welfare debate and the much-ignored advice of Lee Kuan Yew

The issue is not the freebies, but the constraint of limited means. If a government has the money, it can dish out whatever freebies it likes, but not if it is highly indebted, writes T N Ninan

Nearly 10 crore unorganised sector workers registered on e-Shram portal

The e-Shram portal was launched in August this year for creating national database for unorganised workers

AAP focused on publicity, Gujarat govt on implementing welfare schemes: CM

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Friday said the Aam Aadmi Party is interested more in publicity than in implementing the plan.

Things India must do to be a functioning social democracy

If even a modest but growing social welfare package is to be affordable, the public sector has to perform or be disbanded so that the govt can shut down one of the two cash burners, writes T N Ninan