Morning Digest | 10 civilians dead, 22 army men still missing in Sikkim, rescue operations on; Media bodies write to CJI, call for norms on interrogation of journalists and more

Morning Digest | 10 civilians dead, 22 army men still missing in Sikkim, rescue operations on; Media bodies write to CJI, call for norms on interrogation of journalists and more

A flood affected locality at Singtam, in Gangtok district, Wednesday, October. 4, 2023. | Photo Credit: PTI 10 dead, 22 army men among 82 missing as flash flood wreaks havoc in Sikkim; PM Modi dials CM At least ten people died and 80 others, including 22 army personnel, went missing on Wednesday after a cloudburst … Read more

The use of technology is nullifying MGNREGA’s objective of stopping distress migration: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh

The use of technology is nullifying MGNREGA’s objective of stopping distress migration: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh in New Delhi on Sunday.  | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma One of the basic objectives of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) was to minimise distress migration but excessive reliance on technology was reversing the trend, Congress general secretary and former Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said. He … Read more

HC seeks answers from Centre, State on failure to pay MGNREGA wages in West Bengal 

HC seeks answers from Centre, State on failure to pay MGNREGA wages in West Bengal 

The Calcutta High Court asked the Central Government to declare what decision it had taken on the State’s latest action-taken report, dated February 2, 2023. File | Photo Credit: Sushanta Patronobish The Calcutta High Court on June 6 asked the Union Government and the West Bengal Government to submit reports on the non-payment of wages to … Read more

States must contribute to MGNREGS wages, says Union Minister Giriraj Singh

States must contribute to MGNREGS wages, says Union Minister Giriraj Singh

Workers engaged under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme at a tribal settlement in Tamil Nadu. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu The financial burden of wages to the beneficiaries of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) should also be shouldered by State governments, in order to make them more proactive … Read more

Overall, our expenditure estimates are reasonable: Finance secretary TV Somanathan

Overall, our expenditure estimates are reasonable: Finance secretary TV Somanathan

The jump in capital expenditure announced in the budget will provide the economic thrust needed in the face of global headwinds, finance secretary TV Somanathan told ET in an interview. Edited excerpts. Global uncertainty is the biggest threat at this juncture. Has the budget done enough to ensure 6-7% growth?The most direct action the government … Read more

Budget is opportunistic, not futuristic: Mamata Banerjee

Budget is opportunistic, not futuristic: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. File photo | Photo Credit: DEBASISH BHADURI West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 described the Union Budget for the financial year 2023-2024 as an opportunist and anti-poor Budget. Addressing a public gathering in the State’s Birbhum district, Ms. Banerjee also added that the new … Read more

Border row: Maharashtra villages on border seek merger with Telangana

Border row: Maharashtra villages on border seek merger with Telangana

MGNREGA work is being undertaken at a village in Telangana. File photo. | Photo Credit: G.N. Rao Amid the border row between Maharashtra and Karnataka, the villages contiguous to Telangana in the Chandrapur district of the western State have also raised the demand for inclusion in the neighbouring Telugu State. At least 14 villages dotted … Read more

Government forms panel to look into MGNREGA’s efficacy

Government forms panel to look into MGNREGA’s efficacy

Over 15 crore active workers are presently enrolled in the rural job guarantee scheme. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu The Central government has constituted a committee to review the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme, especially to assess the programme’s efficacy as a poverty alleviation tool. The committee, … Read more

Under fire from Bengal BJP over MGNREGA corruption remarks, Union minister Kapil Moreshwar Patil makes U-Turn

Under fire from Bengal BJP over MGNREGA corruption remarks, Union minister Kapil Moreshwar Patil makes U-Turn

Kolkata: A day after Union Panchayat MoS Kapil Moreshwar Patil claimed in Kolkata there was no corruption in MNREGA, taking a u-turn on Friday Patil said he had heard utilization of certificates are issued without completion of work and he will survey physically in several Panchayat areas to find if corruption prevails during his visit … Read more

Dependence on national rural job scheme declines

Dependence on national rural job scheme declines

Demand for work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) saw an 11.1% dip yearon-year in April, suggesting reduced dependence on the Centre’s flagship rural jobs scheme for livelihood. Data from the MGNREGA website showed work demand from households in April stood at 23.2 million, down from 26,1 million in April 2021. … Read more