Food Security

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) includes water conservation and water harvesting structures, enhancing rural water security.

The advisory has already sparked economic repercussions, with media reports indicating a four per cent drop in the stock prices of major European and American alcohol producers following the announcement.

The Punjab government, under an agreement with the World Bank, refrained from procuring wheat, leaving growers at the mercy of market forces.

Beyond the budget support, the World Bank has approved $379 million for the health and nutrition sector and $280 million for the development of the water supply system in Chattogram.

The positive growth in food exports, coupled with a reduction in imports, highlights Pakistan’s progress in leveraging its agricultural and food production capabilities.

The SCL Act, which covers 63 items, imposes taxes at high rates on staple foods such as rice, potatoes, and maize. Critics argue that while these taxes protect domestic agriculture, they also make basic foods costly, exacerbating malnutrition among poor families.

The panel discussion underscored the critical importance of accurately measuring poverty in India, not just as an academic exercise but as a foundational step toward addressing systemic inequities.

Thakur emphasised that YES-TECH has already been successfully implemented in 10 states, with claim payouts for Kharif 2023 completed across seven of them.