In a bitter reaction to payment of low wages of Re 1 under MNREGA in Rajasthan, the agitating activists of Suchna Evum Rozgar Ka Adhikar Abhiyan have decided to send this rare "feat" of the government to the " Guinness Book of World Record" as the only of its kind trend in the world. There have been instances in Rajasthan when Re 1 per day was paid as wages for...

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which has revitalised the rural landscape across the country, stands diminished in the land of its birth, Rajasthan, hijacked and held to ransom by vested interests and stripped of its backbone of an open social audit. As the Andhra experience has shown, there is one ingredient that can bring back its vitality: institutionalising citizen audits. But, is the Rajasthan Government up to...

The stance of the ministry of rural development stands null and void. At least, as far as officials of the state government are concerned. For most of them that the delegation of the Mazdoor Satyagrah met on Monday agreed in unison that it is unconstitutional to pay MGNREGA workers anything less that the minimum wages. However, officials expressed their inability to pay more and demanded the total component from the Centre. Recently,...

Media persons from all over the country have a great opportunity to witness the dance of democracy in Jaipur beginning Gandhi Jayanti. A peaceful ‘dharna’ organized by grassroots organizations like the MKSS and RTI Manch, among others, is already attracting some of India’s top writers, editors, development thinkers and civil society activists, besides thousands of common people from all across Rajasthan. The movement will continue indefinitely from October 2 onwards...

Even as the state government mulls over the compulsory voting bill, farmers in the tribal Dahod district have decided to boycott the local elections over non-payment of wages under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). There are about 2,223 such farmers in Fatehpura taluka of Dahod district bordering Rajasthan, who have decided to abstain from voting. Incidentally, police investigation continues in the case in which sarpanchs are alleged to have...