-The Financial Express The rural development ministry has identified unrealistic planning at gram panchayat level, lack of quality assets created, inadequate capacity of functionaries, inadequate technical staff, lack of monitoring and delay in wage payment, as factors adversely impacting the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The report on performance, initiatives and strategies (FY15-16 and FY16-17) for MGNREGA released by the rural development ministry also identified issues...

Two back-to-back reports that shed light on the status of MGNREGA implementation in the country, have been released recently from the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD). A review of MGNREGA implementation in 8 different states of India by a team of experts during the month of May this year reveals that in many of the drought affected districts, the Gram Panchayats have no work to offer under the programme. (Please click...

-StateTimes.com JAMMU: The Agriculture Department has introduced a revolutionary Paddy Drum Seeder for expanding area coverage under paddy cultivation. A simple machine weighing less than 10 kgs and costing around Rs 5000 has been introduced through Private Public Parternership (PPP) Mode the demonstration of which was conducted today at Seohra (PoUnichak) in presence of Director Agriculture Jammu Dr S S Jamwal.   Elaborating the benefits of the machine Dr. Jamwal said that only three...

-Business Standard In last one month, chana futures prices have risen 17.37 per cent and on Thursday it closed at Rs. 6812 per quintal on NCDEX New Delhi: The government has launched a multi-pronged drive against price rise of essential commodities with different agencies doing their bit to ensure smooth supply and action against hoarders as well as profiteers. Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Thursday barred launch of...

-The Hindu The direction of the wind, intensity of the rain and several other factors go into determining whether a rainy spell qualifies as monsoon. In our eagerness for monsoon to arrive, any long drizzle may make it seem as though the annual rainy season is finally here. But not all rain spells that arrive in June qualify to be monsoon showers. For example, the sudden showers that greeted a parched Chennai...