-The Hindu   Kozhikode: An audit report of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has slammed the State government for non-performance and poor maintenance of records in implementing the scheme from 2007 to 2012. The performance audit report, prepared by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) and tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, revealed "delays ranging from four to six years in framing rules.'' "There were significant variations between...

-The Hindu   Fault lies with States, unfair to blame Centre: CAG source The Comptroller and Auditor-General has found serious lapses in implementation of the UPA's flagship programme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. In its second performance audit submitted to Parliament on Tuesday, the CAG said employment under the MGNREGS declined, funds were being diverted for other use and possible irregularities related to wage payments occurred. The audit covers implementation of the...

-The Times of India LUCKNOW: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India tabled the second performance audit of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in Parliament on Tuesday. The first performance audit was undertaken in 2007-08. The period of coverage of the first audit was February 2006 to March 2007. The present performance audit of the implementation of MGNREGA was taken up in response to a request from the ministry...

-Outlook Union Home Ministry, the nerve centre of country's internal security today witnessed a protest by over 200 contractual employees outside the office of a senior official over non-payment of dues. As many as 204 employees stood outside the office of Joint Secretary (Administration) Bhagwan Shankar inside the ministry in support of their demand for release of wages. The Home Ministry had hired the services of a private manpower firm -- Xecute...

KEY TRENDS   • According to National Sample Survey report no. 583: Persons with Disabilities in India, the percentage of persons with disability who received aid/help from Government was 21.8 percent, 1.8 percent received aid/help from organisation other than Government and another 76.4 percent did not receive aid/ help *8   • As per National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4), the Under-five Mortality Rate (U5MR) was 57.2 per 1,000 live births (for the non-STs it was 38.5)...