-Livemint.com The report also suggested revising pay under MGNREGS on the basis of Consumer Price Index for Rural (CPI-Rural) as the appropriate index New Delhi: The finance ministry has rejected a report by the rural development ministry, which recommended that wages under the national rural employment guarantee scheme (NREGS) be made equal to or higher than the minimum wage determined by state governments. The report prepared by a panel headed by S....

-Business Standard State governments granted 401 reconnaissance permits and 920 prospecting licences between November 2007 and December 2014 Only one-fourth of companies with reconnaissance permits or prospecting licences have submitted mineral exploration data to the government in the last seven years, according to the ministry of mines. State governments granted 401 reconnaissance permits and 920 prospecting licences between November 2007 and December 2014. Of these, 186 holders of reconnaissance permits and 151 prospecting...

-Down to Earth Ordinance to reform the mining sector will do more harm than good SOON AFTER President Pranab Mukherjee signed the ordinance to amend the archaic Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act of 1957, Union minister for steel and mines, Narendra Singh Tomar, announced it is a revolutionary step towards reviving the country's mining sector. His ministry highlighted that the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Ordinance, 2015 will address...

-Business Standard Minister meets union leaders who warn him of confrontation ahead; Dattatreya says amendments to be taken up in coming Parliament session The Union government is going ahead with the pending labour law amendments in the coming session (from next Tuesday) of Parliament, despite strong opposition from trade unions. "The amendments are long-pending issues which the previous government couldn't sort out.... We have already passed the Apprentices Act in the Lok Sabha.......

-Business Standard State expects more investment as industry cheers move Paving the way for the first set of labour reforms in the country, President Pranab Mukherjee has given his assent to Rajasthan's amendments to three laws. Among major changes, the Industrial Disputes Act will allow companies employing up to 300 staffers to lay off workers or close down without taking the government's prior approval. Earlier, those with up to 100 employees...