-Down to Earth The focus of MGNREGA has, over time, shifted from employment creation to asset creation The funds allocated in the Union budget 2021-22 for implementing schemes under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) were exhausted within the first half of this financial year. The budgetary provision for 2021-22 was Rs 73,000 crore, of which Rs 79,810 crore has been spent. Many workers didn’t get paid; it may take...
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No money left in MGNREGA coffers; 21 States in the red -Priscilla Jebaraj
-The Hindu States creating artificial demand, says official; workers pushed into ‘forced labour’ by Delayed Payments, say activists The Centre’s flagship rural employment scheme has run out of funds halfway through the financial year, and supplementary budgetary allocations will not come to the rescue for at least another month when the next Parliamentary session begins. According to its own financial statement, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme shows...
More »Kerala’s stringers lived a hard life. The pandemic made it worse -Jishnu D
-Newslaundry.com The local reporters put their lives at risk covering the pandemic, yet they are made to work for meagre wages and without much organisational support. “I tested positive twice and was quarantined for almost 50 days in the past year,” said a stringer working for a Malayalam television channel headquartered in Kerala’s Idukki. “Since I report on the pandemic, my work requires me to be in places where infection levels are...
More »Sarpanch Union marches to Punjab CM’s residence over MGNREGA dues
-The Tribune Patiala: Members of the Sarpanch (Panchayat) Union of Punjab took out a protest march against pending MGNREGA payments and development works in rural areas, in Patiala on Monday. Amid rain, over 1,000 sarpanches, panches and their supporters gathered atthe PUDA ground and marched towards the CM’s residence in the noon. The protesters said their demands weren’t heard by the ministers. Ravinder Singh Rinku (Gurney), state vice-president of the union, said,...
More »Jean Drèze, economist and honorary professor at the Delhi School of Economics, interviewed by Down to Earth
-Down to Earth The Government of India amended the payment procedure for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) some time ago. Due to this, MGNREGA workers in the states and Union territories faced a delay in their wage payment. This delay came at a time when the second wave of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was wreaking havoc across the country. MGNREGA was started in 2006. Economist and honorary...
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