-The Hindu     Imprecise estimates of slums in the 2011 census could affect welfare programmes for least privileged groups The recently published census 2011 report on housing stock, amenities and assets in slums, the first of its kind in the country, reassuringly announced that the number of urban slums has declined and the percentage of households in slums has dropped from 23.5 (2001) to 17.4. On the face of it, this reduction appears...

-The Hindu   Kozhikode: An audit report of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has slammed the State government for non-performance and poor maintenance of records in implementing the scheme from 2007 to 2012. The performance audit report, prepared by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) and tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, revealed "delays ranging from four to six years in framing rules.'' "There were significant variations between...

-The Financial Express Seven years after MGNREGA came into being, the CAG report tabled on Tuesday in Parliament paints a dismal picture of the UPA's flagship rural employment guarantee programme. According to the CAG, while employment generation fell from 54 days per household in FY10 to 43 days in FY12, states that account for 46% of the Rural Poor - Bihar, Maharashtra and UP - utilised only a fifth of the...

-The Times of India KOLKATA: The inferno triggered in a million homes by the Saradha meltdown has singed the ruling Trinamool Congress. The heat was palpable at an informal meeting of Trinamool MPs at Parliament's Central Hall on Tuesday when the knives were out against the tainted partymen who have harmed Didi's Ma-Mati-Manush image. With Sudipta Sen in custody, at least two heads in the Trinamool are set to roll, say party...

-The Hindu   Fault lies with States, unfair to blame Centre: CAG source The Comptroller and Auditor-General has found serious lapses in implementation of the UPA's flagship programme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. In its second performance audit submitted to Parliament on Tuesday, the CAG said employment under the MGNREGS declined, funds were being diverted for other use and possible irregularities related to wage payments occurred. The audit covers implementation of the...