Though civil society has rejected the official Lokpal Bill with almost one voice, the confabulations in the run-up to Anna Hazare's hunger strike have brought out differences within activists on the alternative Jan Lokpal Bill. The differences had come to light at the two meetings held on April 3 and 4 to examine the provisions of the Jan Lokpal Bill espoused by Hazare, who began his fast unto death on April...
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Can Centre fix NREGS wages in isolation? by M Rajshekhar
Sometime this month, Justice N Ramamohana Rao of the Andhra Pradesh High Court will deliver a verdict that will directly impact earnings of the 114 million people who work under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), the Central government's work guarantee programme. The verdict will also indirectly impact earnings of the 400 million workers and labourers who toil in India's factories and fields for 'minimum wages'. The question Justice Rao...
More »CAG proposes, Rural Development Ministry disposes by K Balchand
The Union Ministry for Rural Development has set up a committee to consider afresh the suggestions made by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) to strengthen the process of social auditing of expenditure under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and check corrupt practices. “Old game” Civil society leaders charge that the Ministry and the bureaucracy are at their old game of endlessly delaying the process by...
More »Plugging the leaks in rural job plan
On the fifth birth anniversary of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) last Wednesday, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi admitted discrepancies in the biggest job guarantee scheme in the world. Gandhi, who is also National Advisory Council (NAC) chief, was referring to fake job cards, forged muster rolls and funds swindled by village heads, officials, etc. She was quick to pinpoint the course correction — a strengthened social audit....
More »Rural job plan turns 5, but wages need to grow more by Prasad Nichenametla
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, UPA’s flagship aam admi scheme, turns five on Wednesday. However, more than 30% of the rural India working under the right-to-work act would continue to receive wages below the guaranteed minimum as per the minimum wages act. On January 14, the ministry of rural development issued a notification revising the wage rates under the MNREGA from Rs 100 per day to between...
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