Construction related projects in the state are facing a huge problem of labour shortage. Labourers are not available even at higher wages and as a result, ongoing projects, including many realty projects, are progressing at a snail's pace. The labour intensive real estate and infrastructure industry is worth nearly Rs 50,000 crore and depends heavily upon migrant labourers from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar besides Panchmahal and Dahod districts of Gujarat. "Infrastructure...

The government is scurrying for an alternative to its plan on engaging private sector in providing urban amenities in rural areas. After a good initial response that saw more than 90 companies showing interest in the scheme - Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas, or PURA, - the Rural Development Ministry has received only eight pilot proposals from six companies. Of the 45 shortlisted, most, including big players like Reliance...

-Express News Service   A team of 13 research scholars from the Centre for Sustainable Technologies, IISc, will now conduct environmental service enhancement assessments at the national level starting from June. These scholars have conducted a study on environmental service enhancement and conservation and vulnerability reduction at Chitradurga district. "Talks are on to start the assessment by the last week of June at Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Meghalaya. Discussions are...

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...

Ever since Malkangiri collector R Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Mohan Majhi were released by the Maoists, development work has taken a beating in the "cut-off" area under Kudumulgumma block of Malkangiri district. Maoists had abducted Krishna and Majhi at gun-point from near Bodopoda, located within the "cut-off" area, while they were returning after inspecting a development work there on February 16. The Red rebels had released the collector on...