-Down to Earth Biometric-based unique identity or Aadhaar is leading to huge problems for people working for the rural employment guarantee scheme and for others receiving welfare benefits. Not only have enrolments been done shoddily but the experience of the pilot projects shows that it is almost impossible to authenticate the work-hardened fingerprints of the poor, find Latha Jishnu and Jyotika Sood. Besides, there is the overwhelming issue of deficient online...

Last week, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) released its first annual monsoon forecast for June-September. Monsoons are likely to be normal with the probability of deficient or excessive monsoons being relatively low, according to IMD. If this prediction comes true, what does this really mean for India's economy? Impact on agricultural output: The first and most important impact is, of course, on agricultural production, especially in the kharif or summer season....

-The Deccan Herald   Thousands of tribals in the Yavatmal region bordering Andhra Pradesh will take to the streets in Pandharkawda Collectorate on Friday to press for a CBI probe into the alleged siphoning off over Rs 25 crores from schemes sponsored by the state and Central governments. The tribals, working under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), have not been paid since January 2012. The same goes for tendu leaf...

-PTI Tribals in the district have planned to take out a rally on May 4 in Pandharkawda town, 80 km from here, to demand a CBI probe into the alleged rampant corruption in the state and central government-sponsored schemes. According to them, people working under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) have been not been paid their wages since January 2012. Similarly the tribals deployed for plucking tendu...

-IANS Lucknow, April 27: Seema Saroj, a resident of Pratapgarh district in Uttar Pradesh, was denied payment under the rural jobs scheme for months. She then joined Nari Sangh, a women's group working for the rights of people, and took on the authorities to get her pending dues. Saroj is one among over 80,000 women from 666 gram panchayats in nine districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh who have, under the umbrella of...