Social audit is an important tool not just to ensure transparency and accountability in the MGNREGS, but also for successful running of the programme. The MIS (Management Information System) data provided by the website www.nrega.nic.in reveals that at the national-level roughly one-third of all districts were covered under social audit during the financial year 2015-16, as on 26 March, 2016. The top 5 states during 2015-16 (FY) in terms of the...

-Business Standard Need open deliberation on systems to avoid misuse Now that a law is being put in place to validate the Aadhaar programme, the focus must shift to the rules which will be framed under it to work the system. It has to be ensured that these rules reflect the spirit and content of the new law. In scrutinising the rules, three primary issues will have to be kept in...

-PTI New Delhi: Considering the “phenomenal” growth of e-waste in the country, the Centre today notified the revised e-waste management rules 2016 under which improper management of such refuse leading to environment damage will invite financial penalty. While CFL and other mercury lamps have been brought within the ambit of the e-waste management rules 2016, a “Deposit Refund Scheme” has been introduced under which the producer of any computer, mobile phone or...

-Business Standard Dr A B P Pandey, Director General and Mission Director of UIDAI speaks to Nitin Sethi on how the efficacy of Aadhaar will be monitored and what challenges it faces as it reaches the 100 crore enrolment mark. * Challenges now that the law is in place… Once the law is notified, then one be the procedural challenge. Government will have to notify necessary rules under the law and UIDAI will...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: Shopkeepers and street vendors across India who wish to continue providing commodities in plastic bags would need to pay Rs 4,000 per month to local authorities under new rules intended to discourage free carry bags. The Union environment ministry today announced revised rules to manage India's massive burden of plastic waste. The rules will introduce this waste management fee on vendors, while imposing a collect-back system for brand-owners...