CHENNAI: Government officials in Tamil Nadu can now sit in their air-conditioned offices and keep tabs on clogged up water bodies and channels in remote villages using satellite technology. Criticized by many for corruption and inefficiency, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has been given a scientific make-over in the state with GIS (geographic information system) mapping being used to organize the works as well as to...

Gosikhurd was sanctioned in 1983 and meant to irrigate 2.5 lakh hectares in Vidarbha As Manikrao Gedam sits outside his three-room house, he wonders how he has benefited by giving up his 10 acres for the Gosikhurd irrigation project at Bhandara in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region. For that matter, he wonders what anyone has gained from it. Today, he has nothing else, but the house in a resettlement colony; his sons are unemployed; and...

-The Indian Express The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from the Centre, Rajasthan and Haryana governments on allegations that large scale illegal mining and depletion of forest cover was taking place in the two states. A Bench of Justices K S Radhakrishnan and J S Khehar issued notice on an application moved by NGO, Society for Awareness and Development, which alleged that the states were wilfully violating the apex court's earlier...

-IANS The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Rajasthan government on a petition alleging that despite a ban, illegal mining was continuing in the state's Alwar district. An apex court vacation bench of Justice S Radhakrishnan and Justice J S Khehar issued notice on the petition of NGO Society for Awareness and Development, which said that despite the 2005 and 2010 bans, illegal mining was going on unabated in 11...

-Live Mint   Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh is advocating a new approach to fighting the Maoist insurgency that has gripped 78 districts so far. Apart from development and security, the approach involves politics and justice, he said. In an interview, Ramesh warned that in the rush to attain high growth rates, India was placing the interests of tribals below that of mining firms. The minister suggested the setting up of a...