The seemingly never-ending slugfest between the Centre and state governments over the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has taken a new twist in Uttar pradesh. The Union ministry of rural development, in a circular dated 11 March, has laid down detailed processes that will be invoked in cases where the Centre receives any complaint regarding the issue or improper utilisation of funds. Though the Central government notification...

Giving a new dimension to poor farmers whose land is acquired for public purpose, the Supreme Court has held that right to possess a land being a right to property cannot be taken away without conducting an enquiry under the Land Acquisition Act (LAA). Giving this ruling a Bench of Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice A.K. Ganguly said: “Admittedly the LAA, a pre-Constitutional legislation of colonial vintage is a drastic law,...

In a move likely to raise the hackles of states, the Union Ministry of Rural Development has decided that all criminal offences in the implementation of the NREGA would in future be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), whenever the state government fails to take satisfactory action. In a circular sent to all states on Thursday, the ministry said that in cases of system failures or non-criminal lapses, a...

The Economic Offence Wing of Uttar pradesh has lodged FIR against 19 firms for their alleged involvement in a 'food grain scam' here, the police said. The EOW has lodged FIR against 19 firms of the Kotwali city Gonsa for illegally sending food grains to Bangladesh. The FIR was lodged by inspector EOW, Kanpur for forgery, corrupt practices and other charges. The police said that 43,330 quintal of food grain was sent to...

Often criticised for lapses in the past, Uttar pradesh is now credited for it's initiative to implement the Centrally-sponsored Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme successfully in the state. "I could see the increasing participation of people in it (MGNREGS) and the openness to reforms on the part of the government," said a Planning Commission member, Mihir Shah after attending a state-level discussion held here on Wednesday titled 'MGNREGS in...