The country’s economic growth is expected to remain strong despite sluggishness in the manufacturing sector as a rebound in agricultural output is expected to support overall growth. Growth in the key farm sector, which accounts for nearly 17% of the nation’s GDP, has been a concern for policymakers for the past few quarters. But, healthy monsoon has raised expectations of strong farm output during July-September 2010. In addition, the arrival of...

Nirani convened it in Alamatti on Monday The farmers' meeting at Alamatti convened by Large and Medium Industries Minister and district in-charge Murugesh Nirani on Monday failed to arrive at a consensus on the compensation to be fixed for the land to be acquired for the Kudagi thermal power plant proposed to be set up by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) at Kudagi in Basavana Bagewadi taluk of Bijapur district. Demands As soon...

The Minister for Rural Development Shri Pradeep Jain “Aditya” today informed the Lok Sabha that Employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA is open to all rural households irrespective of their caste or community. Any adult member of a rural household can register himself/herself with the Gram Panchayat and get a job card issued. Thereafter, a worker needs to apply for work for getting Employment subject to a maximum of 100 days...

While the revolutionary National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme has brought higher wages for labourers across the country, farmers and landlords in Tamil Nadu have begun to feel the pinch following its huge success. They don't get labourers to work in their fields due to low wages. Will the new choice force landlords to hike wages? Rural Tamil Nadu is witnessing a critical migration of labour. Farm workers, 80% of who...

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...