-The Hindu     States that increase minimum wage will have to bear extra cost from their own resources A committee set up by the Ministry of Rural Development to revise wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has offered suggestions that are likely to iron out long-standing issues relating to disparity in earnings under the scheme. Currently, MGNREGA wages are lower than the minimum wages in several States, including in...

The Pension Parishad is holding a dharna in Delhi for the rights of elderly since 26 November. It has demanded that a Universal and Non Contributory Old Age Pension System should be established with a minimum dignified amount of monthly pension not less than 50% of minimum wage or Rs 2000/- per month, whichever is higher. Despite several rounds of talk held between the campaign leaders and the Government in...

-Down to Earth The free medicine scheme in Rajasthan may benefit Congress Of the many poll sops that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot doled out in the past two years, the one scheme that seems to have struck the right chord with voters is the initiative to give free essential medicines at government healthcare facilities. The Mukhyamantri Nishulk Dava Yojna, launched in 2011, has offered some hope to the incumbent Congress government,...

-PTI BALI: On the eve of WTO ministerial meeting here, India on Monday said the interim solution on food security as currently designed is not acceptable and the country won't compromise its farmers' interest or succumb to mercantilist ambitions of rich nations. There is a national consensus and complete political unanimity on this matter in India, commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma said, adding: "It is therefore difficult for us to accept...

-The Indian Express Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has directed sugar factories to pay a minimum price of Rs 2,650 per quintal for sugarcane to defuse the ongoing farmers' agitation that has stalled the functioning of sugar factories across the state. In the light of the announcement, State Minister for Cooperation and Markets Harshvardhan Patil has urged Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) leader Raju Shetty (MP) to take measures to withdraw the agitation in...