-The Telegraph New Delhi: The Centre has tall plans of making India open defecation-free by 2019 and has asked states to ensure toilets for all, but sanitation experts are sceptical whether so much can be done in five years. Pankaj Jain, the drinking water and sanitation secretary, has written to chief secretaries of all states that the Modi regime is committed to ringing in a "Swachh Bharat" by 2019, which marks...

-Live Mint The world's largest social security net deserves better, especially given its potential to contribute to strengthening the foundations of an inclusive, green economy Nitin Gadkari is a man in a hurry to dismantle the edifice of rights-based legislation enacted by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. He has already set in motion steps to emasculate the historic land acquisition law passed by Parliament enthusiastically in September 2013. He has set...

-The Hindu Business Line Corruption in NREGA works has steadily declined in recent years. There are important lessons here that need to be extended to other domains One neglected aspect of the debate on the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) relates to the process aspects of the programme. In the process of planning works, organising employment, paying wages or fighting corruption, many valuable activities take place: Gram Sabhas are held, workers...

-The Times of India KENDRAPADA (Odisha): The recent floods damaged standing paddy crops in Rajkanika, Aul, Garadapur, Marsaghai and Mahakalapada blocks in Kendrapada district. "Floods caused extensive damage to paddy saplings. How will we repay the bank loan?" asked Sarat Jena of Ratanapur village. The floods also severely damaged large tracts of green gram, black gram and vegetable crops in the district. Deputy director of agriculture (Kendrapada) Prafulla Chandra Mishra said paddy crops...

-The Hindustan Times Pragati Abhiyan and a member of the National Consortium of CSOs working on MGNREGA India is a vast country and every year either the quantity or the distribution of rainfall is deviant in one part or the other. Moreover, Indian farming is still predominantly rain-fed. In such a scenario, the MGNREGA can do two very important jobs: Drought relief and drought mitigation. Recently, the NDA discussed the MGNREGA in Parliament....