Abhijeet Sen, Member, Planning Commission talks about the many contentious issues surrounding the Right to Food Act. Does India have enough grain, is it willing to pledge resources, or is it simply anxious to limit its commitments. In fact, why have a Right to Food at all? Rupashree Nanda: Sir, the many drafts of the ambitious legislation "Right To Food", have been disappointing. The Planning Commission note is almost a let...

Activists associated with framing and implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) have raised alarm against linking of Aadhar, the Unique Identification Number (UID) of an individual, with the job scheme. According to them, the effort would deprive a large number of labourers of job opportunities and may result in complete blockade of the scheme at certain places. A movement spearheaded by development economist and member of...

The Centre will send "monitors" to Madhya Pradesh to look into alleged financial irregularities worth crores of rupees in several works done under its flagship rural employment guarantee scheme.   Official sources said the action came after several non-government organisations and self-help groups approached Rural Development Ministry, nodal agency for executing work through under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGA), regarding alleged corruption in the programme meant for people living...

After 47 days of their sit-in, government agrees to pay prevailing minimum wage From a black Diwali to a colourful Id! For hundreds of labourers who sat on dharna from October 2 near the Statue Circle here to press their demand for minimum wages under the MNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme), it was celebration time on Wednesday. After 47 days of sit-in protest, which was preceded by a...

National Advisory Council chairperson Sonia Gandhi has requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to give “suitable directions” to rescue the MNREGA and ensure that all workers get paid in accordance with the Minimum Wages Act (1948). In a letter dated November 11, Sonia Gandhi, who is also UPA chairperson, has appended a 10-page note on the subject. The note details the concerns and outlines the legal arguments in support of paying workers...