Ration at your doorstep project has proved a hit in Pune district, with nearly 44 villages benefiting from this system. State Food and Civil Supply Minister Anil Deshmukh had launched the scheme under a novel initiative of revamping Public Distribution System (PDS) in the state. The government had earlier received flak for the poor flow of PDS. The minister had announced the method to curb black marketing and plug loopholes...

THE definition of poverty has been at the core of discussions and commitments at the international level to address it and, by a logical conclusion, to eradicate it. This intent is the basis for the lofty Millennium Development Goals adopted by the UN member-states and international organisations at the beginning of this century. Now, 10 years later, the UN Summit on MDGs in New York last month was meant to...

The mammoth Rs 2,162 cr NREGA biometric project that will enable real time data capture of crucial processes such as attendance and measurement for muster roll preparation has finally kicked off with rural development ministry inviting expression of interest from the private sector companies. “The ministry of rural development envisages that the existing processes under NREGA can be digitized through a biometric based ICT solution that can be implemented at the...

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday ordered a status quo regarding acquisition of land in Gurgaon’s Ullahawas village where there had been allegations of arbitrary release of acquired land by the Haryana government. The Division Bench comprising Justice Jasbir Singh and Justice Augustine George Masih issued a notice to the Haryana government asking it to respond to a petition filed by Arvind Katewa of Gurgaon Sector 5 and two...

Prepares a model amendment draft for Goa Panchayati Raj Draft amendments to be debated Clear division of functions, assets proposed Right to Information activist Arvind Kejriwal has suggested a series of powers to strengthen the Gram Sabhas including decision making powers about village affairs and a right to recall Sarpanch for failing to function according to decisions of the Gram Sabha. In a model amendment draft for the Goa Panchayati Raj already put in...