-The Hindu The study noted that wages in the scheme are 25-30% lower than the minimum wages for agricultural workers in most States. One-third of the way through the financial year, government data shows that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme has used up almost half its allocated funds, spending more than ₹48,500 crore out of the expanded ₹1 lakh crore allocation announced following the COVID-19 outbreak. A new...
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MIS data on person-days of work demanded must be made available along with person-days of employment provided under MGNREGA, ask social activists
-First MGNREGA tracker by Peoples' Action for Employment Guarantee (PAEG), released on 13th July, 2020 A note has been prepared by the Peoples' Action for Employment Guarantee (PAEG) that brings to you the latest developments, updates, and figures on the implementation of MGNREGA across the country till 9th July, 2020. Given the significant role that MGNREGA is playing in the lives and livelihoods of rural workers, PAEG intends to keep a...
More »Can raising the approved labour budget from 280.76 crore person-days to 306.6 crore person-days help the unskilled returnee migrants who prefer MGNREGA to Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan?
Although social activists and concerned economists demanded at least Rs. 1 lakh crore to be earmarked in favour of the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the Finance Minister in her budget speech on 1st February allocated only Rs.61,500 crore to it for the financial year 2020-21. As compared to the fund spent on MGNREGA in 2019-20 (i.e. revised estimate of Rs.71,001.81 crore), the amount set aside for the...
More »India continues to lose forest land to non-forestry projects - Ishan Kukreti
-Down to Earth Central environment ministry reports diversion of 11,467 hectares forest land in 2019 (up to first week of November) The diversion of forest land for other purposes continued throughout India. A total 11,467.83 hectares (114.68 square kilometre) forest lands were diverted in 22 states between January 1 and November 6, 2019, the Union government admitted. This diversion was for 932 non-forestry projects under the Forest (Conservation) Act (FCA), 1980, according to...
More »How will India emerge out of the lockdown? -G Ananthakrishnan
-The Hindu An opening up has to be accompanied by an increase in relief budget for the most vulnerable After a 39-day lockdown, what will be the shape of things to come? How should one strike a balance between ensuring livelihoods, minimising strife, and maintaining social distancing? In a discussion moderated by G. Ananthakrishnan, Reetika Khera, and Giridhar R. Babu examine the options. Edited excerpts: * With less than a fortnight left for...
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