New Delhi, Feb 2 (IANS) The rural employment guarantee act has lessened people's migration from villages to cities for work and the government would work towards strengthening the scheme, Rural Development Minister Birender Singh said Monday.
"Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is a scheme which will be strengthened. We will not do anything to dilute it," Birender Singh said at a function to mark the completion of 10 years of the flagship programme.
The scheme was launched by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government during its first term to tremendous electoral advantage.
Singh said that for his ministry, the biggest job of MGNREGA is to generate employment among the rural poor. "Assets which are created are useful for the villages but it comes second in the list of priorities after employment generation."
Asserting that his ministry wants to focus on convergence of employment guarantee and asset creation, the minister said that assets thus created should have a durability of 60-70 years and not just three to four years.
He promised to allocate the maximum funds for the programme and blamed the state governments for delay in payment to beneficiaries.
Economists and activists alike had protested the government's reported move to dilute the programme last year. But the NDA government had clarified in parliament that there would be no whittling down of funds for the programme.
Peace will come from the ceasefire, release of hostages, and two-nation theory, PM Modi told the Palestinian President the solution to the crisis.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in New York on Saturday. The meeting of the two leaders took place at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel in New York. PM Modi
Somy Ali: 'It is for your benefit...,' Salman Khan's ex Somy Ali gave this offer to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi
Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi has openly threatened Salman Khan. He has also taken responsibility for the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddiqui. Given all this, security has been increased outside the
Mysskin to release assistant's 'Kallappadam'
Chennai, Feb 14 (IANS) Following in the footsteps of filmmaker Shankar, who helped to release his assistant's Tamil comedy "Kappal" last year, filmmaker Mysskin has decided to release his
IPL 2023: Nine matches left in the league round, nine teams in the playoff race; Know the equation of all teams including Chennai-Mumbai
In the 16th season of IPL, 61 matches of the league round have been played. Now only nine matches are left. After that, the playoff matches will start. Even after 61 matches, no team's place has been
Suspicious car found near Ambani's house was stolen, owner also identified, Mumbai police told the whole case
The police are now looking into solving the mystery of the suspect Scorpio meeting outside the house of Mukesh Ambani, the industrialist and chairman of Reliance Industries Limited. The police have
NEET: CBI takes big action in NEET paper leak case, raids seven places in Gujarat
Taking major action in the NEET paper leak case, the CBI today raided seven places in Gujarat. The CBI raided seven places in four districts of Gujarat, Anand, Kheda, Ahmedabad, and Godhra, on
Virat-Anushka performed Bhasma Aarti in Mahakal temple: Kohli was seen wearing Rudraksha garland and dhoti-sola, and Anushka was seen in a saree
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma reached the Mahakal temple on Saturday morning. Here both of them performed Bhasma Aarti at 4 am. Took the blessings of God. After darshan, Virat said Jai Mahakal to the
Arvind Kejriwal: Who will hoist the tricolor in Delhi on Independence Day? CM Kejriwal wrote a letter to LG and revealed the name
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written a letter to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena from jail. The CM has written a letter regarding hoisting the tricolor in Delhi on Independence Day on August
Protest against Agneepath: Early morning demonstration started in UP-Bihar; Train lit in Samastipur, broken windows of vehicles in Ballia
Even after increasing the age limit by the government in the Agneepath scheme made for recruitment in the army, the demonstration is not taking its name to stop. In Bihar, protesters torched two
Yadav and Pasmanda Muslims, what is BJP's 2024 plan; Who is giving tension to Akhilesh
PM Narendra Modi addressed the program organized on the occasion of the 10th death anniversary of Harmohan Singh Yadav, a socialist leader and close aide of Mulayam Singh Yadav. Not only this, many
