The new rural development minister wants to use technology to force states to make payments. Critics suggest that he should fix existing problems first. Jairam Ramesh is not afraid of stirring things up. Sixty days into his stint as the new Rural Development Minister, Ramesh, he has unveiled what he calls NREGA 2.0, a reform package that he feels would make the Rs 40,000 crore programme actually work. Ramesh has put together...
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Sheila Dikshit asks minority communities to focus on modern education
-PTI Seeking reform in Madrasas, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today called upon minority communities to focus on modern education and exhorted them to take optimum benefit of the Right to Education Act. Describing the RTE as a major initiative of the UPA government to bring about reform in the education sector, Dikshit said minority communities must take full advantage of the legislation and make their children excel in every field. "Union Government has...
More »UPA plans a slew of anti-graft laws by Smita Gupta
Comprises Lokpal Bill, laws on poll reforms, public disclosures and accountability of judges The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is planning to introduce a slew of anti-graft laws in the winter session of Parliament: apart from the Lokpal Bill, which is with a Standing Committee of Parliament, in the works are laws on electoral reforms, public procurement, service delivery to citizens, public disclosures, and accountability of judges, among others. Union Ministers and...
More »Government set to make 4 per cent of its yearly buy from dalit firms, boost MSME sector by Sidhartha & Subodh Ghildiyal
The Centre is set to make it compulsory for 4% of its annual purchases to be made from units run by dalits and tribals in what will be its strongest bait for classes that hold the key to political battles at the Centre and states. A rough estimate of the proposed spending comes to Rs 25,000 crore. Preferential procurement has been an early poll promise of UPA and its delivery...
More »Rs 65,000cr loan waiver fails to make farmers debt-free
-DNA The Centre's debt relief scheme for the farmers has given anything but relief to the poor farmers. Despite the Rs 65,318.33-crore Agricultural Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme (ADWDRS) launched by the UPA with much fanfare in 2008, nearly 43.42 million (48.6 per cent) of the 89.35 million farmer households are still in debt. This is the finding of National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) report on 'Indebtedness of Farmers Household'. The scheme benefited...
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