Good sections of rural India don’t want NREGA any more, showing the government spending pattern on the scheme. Since a large percentage of the village labourers have moved to the cities, it makes far better sense to develop an unemployment dole for them. The subtext is an accounting arrangement that ensures that like NREGA, the government can keep on rolling out similar entitlement programmes like the proposed Food Security Act, but...

Exact math used by the government’s auditor in its calculation of losses and the process it followed still unclear The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) may have taken a cue from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) while calculating losses arising from the improper allocation of second-generation spectrum to telecom companies in 2008 (or the so-called 2G scam), according to documents reviewed by Mint. This is not to suggest that the...

-The Economic Times   Jairam Ramesh may have stirred up a hornet's nest when he, as environment minister, complained of MPs indulging in conflict of interest by lobbying for environmental projects, but a look at the Register of Interest of Rajya Sabha members proves how MPs have managed to find a place in many House panels despite having business interests in the sectors concerned. According to the register of interest, made public...

-The Hindu   The Finance Ministry had approved the changes in the draft National Food Security Bill that were incorporated after taking the views of the Department of Women and Child Development as well as those posted on the Food Ministry's website, Minister of State for Food and Public Distribution K.V. Thomas said on Thursday. The Ministry would soon bring to the Cabinet a revised draft after incorporating the comments of the Ministries...

Opposes changes in bid norms, extra land acquisition and move to allow bidders to develop more than one UMPP The government’s auditor has come down hard on irregularities in the government’s policy on so-called ultra mega power projects, or UMPPs. The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), parts of which have been seen by Mint, is with the power ministry for its comment, and could cause further embarrassment...