-Newsclick.in On Saturday, the Ministry of Rural Development denied that the rural jobs scheme was facing a shortage of funds. Its response, however, “leaves many questions unanswered,” according to civil society members. Activists have questioned the Centre’s response to media reports on the shortage of available funds for the rural employment guarantee scheme in the current financial year, by alleging that it is “misleading” and that it leaves many raised questions “unanswered.” Last...

-The Hindu The Centre has decided to scrap the system of caste-based wage payments in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme after complaints from State Governments. In an order dated November 1, the Finance Ministry directed the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) to “revert to the previous system of generating single muster, single FTO [or Fund Transfer Order] and transferring money into a single NeFMS [or National Electronic...

-Press release by National Coalition on the Education Emergency dated 2nd November, 2021 * India’s 250 million children returning to school after 18 months of school closures and devastating learning loss * The NCEE warns that re-opening schools cannot be “return to school” as normal, and lack of a comprehensive approach will deepen the existing education inequality * Education recovery efforts require a multi-year, radically new approach, NCEE says NEW DELHI: The overwhelming majority...

-Hindustan Times Rising prices of edible oils have dampened the mood ahead of the festive season.  The central government on Friday expressed hope that key oilseeds and edible oil-producing states will begin implementing stock limits from next week. It will further help in cooling down the prices and bring some relief to consumers amid the festive season, the government said. The central government said that it took measures to reduce edible oil prices...

-TheWire.in In conversation with the chair of the committee that devised the New Water Policy, which proposes a shift in focus towards the long-neglected demand-side management of water. India’s new National Water Policy (NWP) argues that limits are now being reached on solving the country’s water problem from the supply side. The seven-member Mihir Shah Committee proposes a shift in focus towards the long-neglected demand-side management of water. Mitali Mukherjee spoke with Shah...