Paradip, Aug. 6: Reports of a tidal surge into the denuded forest pockets in the proposed Posco project area since Thursday night have caused concern among the local residents. However, officials have advised the villagers not to panic. “We have received reports of tidal waves’ ingress in some pockets of denuded forest areas. But there was no threat to the villages,” said Kujang tehsildar Vasudev Pradhan. “The forest used to check the...

Government is expected to unveil new guidelines for its flagship rural employment scheme, which will have a special focus on naxal-affected areas and stress on skill development. Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said the new guidelines will give authorities greater flexibility in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme. Addressing a meeting of Parliamentary Consultative Committee on MGNREGA here, Ramesh said complaints have come mainly from states like...

The past couple of months have seen a renewed attack on the National Advisory Council (NAC). The NAC has been decried as an unconstitutional, undemocratic, “super-cabinet” where unaccountable “jholawalas” hatch harebrained schemes guaranteed to run the government aground. Another line of criticism has focused on the process of the formation of the NAC, its space within the Indian Constitution, and its capacity to influence policy. The two criticisms merge with...

-The Economic Times   The government has amended its landmark Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to ensure that beneficiaries receive wage entitlements under the Act within 15 days through institutionalised channels, like banks and post offices. The amendment to Schedule II of the MGNREGA now makes it mandatory under the law for state governments to ensure that every beneficiary has a bank or post office account and the disbursements...

-The Telegraph   Mamata Banerjee today said the draft land acquisition bill that Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh came to discuss with her tonight was “much better” than the previous one. “This draft is much better than the previous one. It has the correct approach. I have issues with one or two points. I will study it in detail and inform the Centre,” Mamata said after her 20-minute meeting with Ramesh at...