-The Indian Express Focusing on private asset creation will only exacerbate its design and implementation failures. In his budget speech, Arun Jaitley shied away from taking a tough stand on the MGNREGA. In a seemingly non-controversial comment, he emphasised that "wage employment would be provided under MGNREGA through works that are more productive, asset creating and substantively linked to agriculture and allied activities". The subtext, however, is controversial. As argued below, far...

-Deccan Herald It is difficult to understand why Indian farmers continue to be ignored. With a meager outlay every year, Indian farmers have been producing a bountiful harvest. If only agriculture was to be injected with the much need economic stimulus package, I am sure the Indian farmers can flood the country with food, fruits and vegetables. India can certainly emerge as one of the biggest exporters of agricultural commodities. In...

-The Hindu   The national discourse is so superficial that it only talks of foreign direct investment, investment allowance, tax sops and the like which are just about a twentieth to a sixth of the national economy. It did not even notice paragraph 102 in the Union budget speech which is about half of India's economy. Commentators see facts hidden in budgets as the "devil's in the detail." This presumes that only...

-Down to Earth Rural development ministry to make social audit compulsory; create more durable Assets in blocks and districts, instead of villages UPA's flagship programme, Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), is set to see some changes under the ruling NDA government. The Union Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) has decided to focus on social audit and create durable Assets at block and district levels under the programme. In a letter, dated June...

-RuralMarketing.in/ i9media Organic farming is the mantra for prosperity of Naga women, and these hardworking women farmers have proved that they can be successful enterpreneurs. Women in the northeastern state of Nagaland traditionally enjoyed a high social position, within their family as well as in the community. A strong prevalence of patriarchy has ensured that they are not just kept away from key decision-making, but they are barred from inheriting ancestral...