The challenges that came into the fore after the recent anti-corruption movement seems to have expedited activities within the UPA government on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has decided to review the performance of MGNREGA in states on September 29. The  decision was taken in the wake of wide ranging recommendations by Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC). It seeks to revamp...

“MGNREGS should move from relief work mode to one that blends natural resources and labour” to build productive assets The Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC), which went into hibernation in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson's absence, has been reactivated. On September 14, it despatched its recommendations on strengthening the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to the government; it wants the scheme to move from its “relief work...

The Opposition slammed the Naveen Patnaik government today for trying to make a political capital out of the flood relief operation by allegedly distributing relief material in bags emblazoned with conch symbol of the ruling party. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD), however, refuted the charge describing it as politically motivated. The state government decided to provide relief to the flood-hit for another seven days and provide them work under the Mahatma...

Five years after the government launched its flagship job creation programme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is set to get a make-over. Sources tell NDTV that government is mulling private sector participation. Under a new draft the government will continue to pay 100 days of wages, and companies will only have to pick up a wage bill for the remaining 265 days. Cottage, small scale and medium sized...

The ministry of rural development is mulling over changes in the implementation guidelines of the country’s largest rural employment guarantee programme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The ministry has constituted a committee to be chaired by member Planning Commission Mihir Shah that will look into issues such as ensuring legal compensation for not providing work on demand, reducing distress migration from rural areas, cutting down on delays...