Latest news with #PDS
New Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
TN asks Centre to release Rs 2,670 crore in pending dues
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has requested the union government to release pending dues amounting to Rs 2,670.64 crore. These dues relate to expenses incurred by the state for paddy procurement, rice fortification, and subsidies for ragi and sugar. Of the roughly 2.25 crore ration cards in Tamil Nadu, the cost of supplying rice through the Public Distribution System (PDS) to 1.12 crore cards (covering 3.6 crore beneficiaries) is fully borne by the centre under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Of the total outstanding dues of Rs 2,670.64 crore, a sum of Rs 2,181.88 crore has been carried over from the financial years 2016-17 to 2020-21. Additionally, Rs 431.55 crore is pending as subsidy for ration cards that were migrated within Tamil Nadu during the same period. In relation to the supply of fortified rice, the state government incurred an expenditure of Rs 244.06 crore, of which the centre has released only Rs 197.26 crore, leaving a balance of Rs 46.80 crore. Food and Civil Supplies Minister R Sakkarapani submitted a memorandum on this matter to Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Pralhad Joshi, on Wednesday. According to official sources, the centre disburses funds to the state at regular intervals under various heads, including procurement, milling, and distribution of rice through the PDS. These disbursals are based on claims submitted via the online portal
Scoop
a day ago
- Business
- Scoop
Statement By The FMA On Senior Trust Retirement Village Income Generator Limited
The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) – Te Mana Tātai Hokohoko is aware of several news articles over the last few days which refer to its recent engagement with Senior Trust. Margot Gatland, Head of Enforcement at the FMA says, 'In November 2024 the FMA – Te Mana Tātai Hokohoko opened an investigation into Senior Trust Retirement Village Income Generator Limited (STIG), which is ongoing. The scope of the investigation includes considering disclosures made by STIG in its previous product disclosure statement (PDS) and associated advertising material and whether those disclosures complied with Parts 2 and 3 of the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013.' Concurrently with the investigation, the FMA has consulted STIG about aspects of its business. As part of the FMA's discussions with STIG, STIG has agreed to register an amended PDS. The FMA did not object to the PDS being lodged in its current form. STIG has issued an investor communication with more detail about the changes, which can be found here: 'We want to ensure that existing and prospective investors in STIG are aware that it lodged a new PDS on 16 June 2025 and that it differs substantially from earlier iterations,' says Ms. Gatland. 'Investors should also take particular note of the contents of STIG's June 2025 investor communication accompanying the PDS and accessible on its website alongside the new PDS at 'Any investors who may have queries about the above or their investment in general should seek advice from a legal or financial adviser.'
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Anbumani accuses DMK government of failing to fulfil promises on PDS reform
Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) president Anbumani Ramadoss on Thursday (June 26, 2025) condemned the ruling DMK for 'failing' to fulfil poll promises pertaining to reforms in the Public Distribution System (PDS). In a statement, he said Tamil Nadu currently has 37,328 ration shops operating under various departments, including Cooperatives and Food. This multi-departmental structure has led to disparities in work conditions, pay, and benefits for employees, he alleged. The DMK, in its manifesto for the 2021 Assembly election, had promised to bring all ration shops under a single administrative department. 'However, more than 50 months since assuming office, that promise remains unfulfilled. As a result, the hardships faced by ration shop employees continue unabated,' Dr. Anbumani said. Referring to other poll promises of the DMK with respect to reforms in the PDS, such as distributing goods in packed bundles, resuming supply of black gram, and providing an extra kilogram of sugar, Dr. Anbumani said they have been 'completely ignored'. He urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to immediately take steps to fulfil all the promises made by the DMK in the run-up to the 2021 Assembly poll.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Growing divide between gender fluidity and women's reality
We live in peculiar times. There is a conscious attempt to dismantle gender binaries, celebrate fluidity, and challenge traditional norms. Yet, the lived experiences of gender are becoming more pronounced, particularly for women. The contributions they make and the sacrifices they endure are intensifying, revealing a stark contrast between theoretical frameworks and ground realities. Gender Equality.(Getty Images/iStockphoto) The global economic landscape is grim, inflation is soaring, and real wages have failed to keep pace with rising prices. A 2024 Oxfam report reveals that women earn only 51 cents for every dollar a man earns—nearly half the income for the same work. This reflects the systemic inequality that forces women into cycles of poverty and dependence. The World Bank's Poverty, Prosperity, and Planet Report 2024 paints an even bleaker picture. Nearly 864.1 million people were affected by severe food insecurity in 2023, and nearly 60% of them are women and girls. In India as in many other countries, the economic crisis has reduced access to nutritious foods like meat and vegetables. The result is a rise in anaemia among women, as their iron intake from essential foods declines. On the other hand, the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) highlights rising rates of overweight and obesity, particularly among women. In Tamil Nadu, for instance, 40.4% of women are overweight or obese, up from 30.9% a decade ago. Among men, the figures stand at 37% and 28.2%, respectively. This trend is partly attributed to the public distribution system (PDS), which provides five kg of rice per person but fails to address the need for balanced diets. While the PDS ensures that hunger is alleviated, exhausting workloads leave little room for self-care, exacerbating health challenges. Research from IIM Ahmedabad, two years ago, underscores the immense burden of unpaid domestic work shouldered by Indian women. On average, they spend 7.2 hours daily on household chores—amounting to nearly 50 hours a week. For women who also work outside the home, this dual burden stretches their days. A 2023-24 SBI survey estimates that if women's unpaid work were monetized, it would contribute a staggering ₹ 22 lakh crore annually—roughly 7% of India's GDP. This invisible labour of women, among the highest in the world, remains unrecognised and unrewarded. The climate crisis further exacerbates gender inequalities. During droughts, women and girls are often forced to walk longer distances, sometimes in the dark, to fetch water. This not only increases their risk of sexual violence but also limits their ability to maintain menstrual hygiene or attend school. In many societies, women are not taught to swim, leaving them disproportionately vulnerable to rising sea levels and floods. These examples highlight how systemic inequalities amplify the risks women face in times of crisis. The ongoing conflict in Gaza is a grim reminder of how war indiscriminately affects women and children. Around 60% of those who have lost their lives are women and children, underscoring the gendered dimensions of violence and displacement. In a world where gender experiences are becoming starker, how can we disengage from these realities and claim that gender is merely a performance? While academic discourses on dismantling binaries and deconstructing norms are valuable, they must be grounded in the concrete conditions of people's lives. For millions of women, gender is not an abstract concept, but a lived reality shaped by economic hardship, unpaid labour, health disparities, and climate vulnerability. To address these challenges, we need more than theoretical deconstruction. This article is authored by Sruti MD, assistant professor, department of English, Shiv Nadar University, Chennai.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
Two errant traders arrested; 79.3 quintals of PDS rice seized
The Adilabad One Town police on Tuesday arrested two errant traders for allegedly selling Public Distribution System (PDS) rice in the guise of rice of different popular brand names in the market. The police identified the arrested accused as G. Rajeshwar and Shaik Ayub, both kirana merchants of Shivaji Chowk area in Adilabad town. One more accused Shaik Aslam of Chilukuri Lakshminagar is at large, police said. The police seized 79.3 quintals of PDS rice packed in as many as 326 bags from the possession of the arrested accused. The errant traders were booked on charges of misappropriation of the rice meant for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and duping customers to make a quick buck.
