As agriculture-related activities come to a standstill with the summer season reaching its peak, around 1,300 labourers and farmers in the rural areas have registered themselves for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The MGNREGS guarantees job for 100 days with daily remuneration. As many as 81 projects have been initiated in Pune district and the administration is planning to commence at least 100 more projects in the...

The Sirohi police have decided not to register FIRs over irregularities committed in Mahatma Gandhi National Rrural Employment Guarantee Schemes (MGNREGS) unless the complaint is backed by an audit report. Superintendent of police for Sirohi, Vipul Chaturvedi passed a written order to this effect for all police station in-charges in the district during a law and order meeting held on March 13, 2011. "Cases shall not be registered against people who...

The scheme has reduced rural migration and promoted financial inclusion, but needs to create more durable assets. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) – the only government social welfare scheme named after the other Gandhi, not belonging to Nehru-Gandhi family – has recently completed five years. The performance of the scheme, considered a major pillar of UPA government's strategy of inclusive growth, has been a matter of debate. The...

After forming syndicates, the liquor mafia in Nizamabad district is now targeting young workers of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme ( MGNREGS) to rake in more moolah. Towards this end, the powerful mafia succeeded by roping in village development committees (VDCs) to help them open more belt shops in villages. Though it was illegal, a majority of these belt shops are being run in residential colonies, slum areas and...

Contractors complete the work by employing some other labourers and using machines An inquiry into the lathi-charge on protesting farmers in Koppal has brought to light the nexus between contractors and labourers. The inquiry conducted by the Koppal taluk panchayat executive officer in all the five gram panchayats - Boodagumpa, Irkalgad, Hasgal, Indargi and Madinur - has revealed that the labourers who staged the protest had not registered themselves seeking jobs under...