When a massive sum of public money is spent on a programme like Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (MGNREGA)--a demand-driven programme, there is likelihood of financial misappropriations and mismanagement. Thankfully there are checks and balances in the rural employment guarantee legislation to counter such malpractices. It is worth noting that the total allocation under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (MGNREGA) for 2020-21 was Rs. 1,11,500.00 crore (R.E.), up...

-Livemint.com The amount released this week was the 6th installment of such funds provided to the States The Finance Ministry has released the weekly installment of ₹6,000 crore to the States to meet the GST compensation shortfall on Wednesday. Out of this, an amount of ₹5,516.60 crore has been released to 23 States and an amount of ₹483.40 crore has been released to the 3 Union Territories with Legislative Assembly (Delhi, Jammu &...

-The Telegraph Three states — Punjab, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh — have not accepted the proposals yet Bengal and Kerala have dropped their opposition to the Centre’s borrowing option to bridge the gap in the Goods and Services Tax revenue receipts. The two states have opted for the limited borrowing option under which the Centre will borrow funds and pass them on to the states but the debt will be recognised in the balance...

-The Indian Express Farmers participated in the protests at more than 5,000 locations across India, and similar demonstrations in larger numbers are expected to be held in New Delhi later this month. New Delhi: At least one million farmers across 20 states took to the streets on Thursday against the three recently passed agriculture laws and the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill, All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) leader Avik Saha told...

-The New Indian Express Cotton farmers in Karaikal have requested the district administration to give them and farm workers passes to carry out work in the fields in order prevent the crops from pest attack. KARAIKAL (Puducherry): Cotton farmers in Karaikal have requested the district administration to give them and farm workers passes to carry out work in the fields in order prevent the crops from pest attack. Cotton cultivation is taken...