The new railway tracks announced on social demand but which are economically unviable and may get delayed due to fund crunch may be funded through NREGA. railways, which is facing a fund crunch and is struggling to check cost escalation, has also asked state governments to pitch in at least 50% of the project cost from their kitty by raising it through a cess or any other means. According to...

The UPA is in damage control mode over allegations that Indian officials took millions of dollars as bribes to help American companies secure government contracts. Five ministries are investigating specific charges of bribery against their officials, after the Indian ambassador to the US wrote a letter to the Centre. The Agriculture Ministry has asked the CBI to investigate allegations that US-based Dow Chemicals paid $ 200,000 to register 3 of...

The recession is a promising moment to expand NREGA with greater emphasis on building social capital in a big way.  Soon after assuming office, the first UPA government took an impressive step for the alleviation of rural poverty by launching the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. It was, indeed, a wise move to insulate the programme from the vicissitudes of electoral politics by enacting the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act...

What’s more important to a hungry child? Food now, or future environmental worries? I know I’m on sticky ground here, but it would be hypocritical not to ask the question when the world is mourning the death of one person who, literally, helped save millions in the developing world — in our part of it, especially — from hunger. In his lifetime, Norman Borlaug was hailed as the father of...

The Central Vigilance Commission has for the first time made public the names of 123 government officials against whom it had suggested prosecution or imposition of penalty for alleged corruption. The Commission earlier gave out only the numbers of officials, along with their departments, against whom it suggested prosecution and penalty proceedings in its monthly report. But for the first time, names have been posted on the CVC''s website. The...