-The New Indian Express Having a uniform rate will also be convenient in terms of calculations and indexation in one go for the entire country rather than different States/UTs bringing in their own dynamics, the report said NEW DELHI:  A parliamentary standing committee has flagged the disparity in wage rates in various states under the rural employment scheme MGNREGS, calling it baffling and unjustified. While in states like Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand, the...

-The Hindu In his book on Bihar, M.R. Sharan provides a closely observed, scholarly, and empathetic account of the struggle to make constitutional promises a reality in rural India  M.R. Sharan’s splendid book brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. The scene is a public meeting at “Narega Chowk” in Ratnauli village, Muzaffarpur district of Bihar. Activists of Bihar Manrega Watch (BMW) are helping resolve grievances. An old woman...

-Livemint.com The panel highlighted lack of effective coordination with states in terms of timely release of funds for the MGNREGA scheme NEW DELHI: A parliamentary standing committee has rebuked the Department of Rural Development for lack of effective coordination with states in terms of timely release of funds for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA) scheme. According to the Department of Rural Development, one of the impediments obstructing the smooth flow...

-The Telegraph CM Mamata Banerjee also expressed her concern over the curtailment of allotment for the MGNREGA scheme during an administrative review meeting in Calcutta Bolpur (Birbhum): The Mamata Banerjee government has written to the Centre with a plea to approve 8 crore more mandays under the 100-days’ job scheme for Bengal in the current fiscal after the state achieved its approved labour budget of 27 crore mandays. “The Centre has so far...

-The Hindu Govt. cheating tribal communities, says Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch A tribal rights advocacy group has rued that budgetary cuts on food subsidy and MNREGA will hurt tribal communities the worst. "Tribal communities have the highest numbers of those malnourished, particularly children and women. Cuts in food subsidies will be disastrous and lead to direct intensification of hunger," said Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch (AARM) in a press statement. They also say that tribal...