-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The BJP-led central government is expanding the reach of a scheme to improve socio-economic infrastructure for minorities in education, health and skill development from 196 to 308 districts of the country. From 27 states and UTs, the programme, which was last year allocated Rs 3,972 crore to be spent over three years, will now be implemented in districts across 32 states and UTs. “Between 33% and...

-Down to Earth This new development will benefit the scheduled tribes residing in Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister on Wednesday (April 25) approved the declaration of 227 villages in three districts of Rajasthan as Schedule Areas. The declaration of Scheduled Areas under Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of India was done by rescinding the Constitution Order 114 of February 12, 1981 and promulgating a new Constitution...

-The Hindu NITI Aayog CEO says he did not say they were dragging down India’s growth Facing criticism over his comment that eastern States such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, where the BJP is in power, are keeping India backward, Amitabh Kant, Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog, on Tuesday issued a clarification on Twitter. “These States are backward on human development indicators because of legacy issues. This government’s...

-Business Standard Although the rate of cash circulation has surpassed the pre-demonetisation level, it is not in tandem with the rate of economic growth Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) across various states are running dry with the present situation reminiscent of demonetisation of high-value currency notes one-and-a-half years back. States, including Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur and Telangana, have reported shortage of cash at ATMs. A stock-taking analysis submitted by...

-The Indian Express After the Finance Ministry rejected the recommendations of two recent government panels, MGNREGA workers in 10 states will get no raises in 2018-19. Minimum farm wages are now higher in many states. The last time the union government brought MGNREGA wages at par with minimum agricultural wages was in 2009. Two years later, in 2011, only four states — Kerala, Goa, Haryana and Mizoram — had minimum agricultural wages...