The gruesome murder of NREGA activist Niyamat Ansari has shocked the progressive civil society and political groups in the country. According to reports (one, two), Niyamat Ansari had exposed a case of corruption in NREGA and an FIR was lodged against a former BDO and another Panchayat Sevak of Manika block, Latehar (Jharkhand). On 2nd March 2011, Niyamat Ansari was picked from his house and beaten to death. The reports...
More »SEARCH RESULT
Four arrested for beating RTI activist
Four men have been arrested for allegedly beating up a Dalit RTI activist for seeking details of work done in his village in Rajasthan's Barmer district under the government's rural job guarantee scheme, an official said Wednesday. Mangal Ram from Bamgore village was allegedly thrashed by the sarpanch (village head) and his supporters March 3. He was hospitalised with his legs and hands fractured. 'We have arrested Jameel, Hamira, Jeela and Ali...
More »Drought effect: Asset creation gathers pace by Devika Banerji
There is a silver lining to the drought that hit India in 2009-10. Although it sapped the country's growth, it led to an almost doubling of physical assets created under the government's flagship rural employment scheme that year. The drought of 2009-10 was the worst that the country had faced in 17 years. As regular jobs in the farm sector dried up, more people sought work under the Mahatma Gandhi National...
More »MGNREGA activist who exposed many cases of corruption found dead by Ipsita Pati
“His death is a planned conspiracy by middlemen and contractors” Niyamat Ansari, a member of the NREGA Sahayata Kendra, was found beaten to death in Jharkhand's Latehar district, 110 km from here, on Thursday. He is said to have exposed many cases of corruption by local contractors in work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). R.K. Malik Inspector-General (operations) said some unidentified persons barged into Mr. Ansari's house...
More »MGNREGA activist killed in Latehar
An activist working for the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme was killed after being mercilessly beaten by a group of 12 suspected Maoists at Jerua village in Latehar district. The activist, Niyamat Ansari, who was stated to be a close aide of noted economist Jean Dreze, died last night after Maoists beat him up with lathis, police sources alleged. A group dragged him out of his residence...
More »