-ANI     The move will benefit about eight lakh people in the states like Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. Ministry of Rural Development has issued a directive to provide 150 days of wage employment under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for Scheduled Tribe households living in forest areas. The move will benefit about eight lakh people in the states like Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. The additional 50 days of...

-Deccan Herald The National Biodiversity Authority has recognised 30 villages in Zaheerabad of Medak district of Andhra Pradesh that grow traditional and fast-disappearing millets as Agricultural Biodiversity Heritage Site (ABHS). The Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board (APSBB), which finally gave green signal for the rare recognition, has sent its recommendation to the National Biodiversity Board, which has approved the proposal making these villages to become first villages in India...

-The Pioneer Hazaribagh (Ranchi): When we go to the field to check the works going on under MGNREGA scheme always some new problems and matters arises before us which never comes through the social audit. It clearly says that MNREGA social audit needs some more good exercises so that all the field problems should come through it, said the Deputy Commissioner Hazaribagh in the social audit cum jan samwad program organized...

-Outlook Raipur (Chhattisgarh): Slow pace of development work resulting in blockage of over Rs 8 crore and alleged irregularities in implementation of MGNREGA through payment of excess wages to labourers have been noticed in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district. As against 865 works sanctioned under 13th Finance Commission, only 391 works were completed and against allotment of Rs 16.20 crore, expenditure of only Rs 7.97 crore was made and Rs 8.23 crore was blocked,...

-The Hindustan Times   The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the secretary, Union ministry of rural development, and chief secretaries of seven states on the basis of an HT investigation which revealed that poor labourers were committing suicide due to delayed payments under MGNREGA. NHRC has asked for reports from the state governments and the ministry of rural development within six weeks. MGNREGA is the UPA's flagship scheme that...