-The Indian Express   Noting that funds released from the Centre do not always reach Naxal-hit areas, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said the government has decided to redraw the fund-distribution pattern. “So far Central funds are released for Naxal-affected districts, from XII Plan they will be given to Naxal-affected blocks,” he said. At present, Chhattisgarh has 10 Naxal-hit districts. Many more areas have significant Naxal presence but are not categorized so....

Bihar's recent economic growth has created a peculiar problem for real estate and infrastructure firms in other parts of the country.  Migrant labour from the state constitutes around 50% of the unskilled workers employed in these sectors nationally, but increased government expenditure and private investment has caused rural migration from Bihar to fall by a third in recent years, resulting in labour shortages and 35-50% higher wage bills for real estate...

-The Hindu   An event called ‘Navjyoti' was organised by UNICEF in collaboration with DD Sahyadri to honour these girls from Maharashtra For the many poor girls who drop out of school in Maharashtra's rural hinterland, there are those who decide to stay. And then there are those who stage a comeback. It's what Lata Batku did, after being forced to drop out of school to take care of her baby sister. Her village...

All rural schemes will also get a common accounting format; audit to begin with MGNREGS in 12 states At a time when the government is reeling under a number of corruption cases—several of these following critical reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG)—the ministry of rural development has roped in the statutory auditor to conduct a financial, compliance and performance audit of its schemes. All schemes of the ministries...

-DNA   Four RTI activisits have been butchered and six have escaped murder attempts, as authorities continue to wink at the culprits. DNA profiles the heroes who are fighting a not so appreciated battle for upholding democratic values. Manisha Goswami Manisha Goswami, a resident of Vapi, has been waging a lone battle against the pollution spread by industries in Vapi. In the latest case, Goswami had moved an RTI application seeking information about a...