-PTI The average daily intake of calories of the rural population, as per the NSSO data, dropped by 4.9 per cent or 106 kilocalories from 1993-94 to 2004-05, Parliament was informed today. "As per NSSO report based on the survey conducted by it in July 2004-June 2005, the average per capita calorie in-take at all India level in rural areas is 2,047 kilo calories as compared to 2,153 kilo calories based on...

-Outlook Ranchi: CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat today called for an immediate end to the "division" of people on the lines of below poverty line, above poverty line, and advocated for universal Public Distribution System (PDS). "Now the people are being divided and are given ration cards on the lines of BPL, APL and Antyodaya, which should be stopped immediately," Karat said at a meeting of the party's Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha...

-The New Indian Express Bhubaneshwar: The State Government has decided to implement the Focused Area Development (FAD) scheme for the welfare of tribal people for the next 10 years with an expenditure of `15.9 crore per year. The scheme was launched in 2012-13 for providing alternative sources of livelihood to the tribal people. The decision to continue the FAD scheme for the next 10 years was taken at a high level meeting...

-Rising Kashmir Srinagar: The criterion for laborers getting wages with Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in Bandipora villages is not a job card but a rooster. “Even if you have worked efficiently, you will be paid wages only if you have a desi rooster to gift the officials,” locals from various Bandipora villages said. Alleging corruption in the release of funds, people from Zaban Chuntimulla said authorities were not releasing...

-The Business Standard Implement it with watershed development schemes to alleviate poverty The United Progressive Alliance government appears to be upbeat regarding the prospects of its flagship scheme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which provides a universal, self-targeting guarantee of 100 days of employment to every household in all rural districts of India. “MGNREGA has tremendous potential to increase agricultural production, which we have not been able to...