Ranchi, July 5: The cabinet today decided to waive value added tax (VAT) on foodgrains and locally manufactured edible items, including branded products, and approved funds for setting up state food corporation godowns in various districts and nine sub-divisions.

The taxes will also not be applicable on linen, towels, handkerchiefs and similar items.

Civil society groups have opposed a government proposal to rid its flagship rural jobs guarantee programme of malpractices, saying the plan is

BHUBANESWAR: After initial refusal to sanction funds under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to the six districts under CBI scanner, the Centre on Monday released Rs 170 crore for the wage employment programme.

In another case of alleged fraud during implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in Meghalaya, a father-son duo duped gullible villagers in the name of implementation of the Central scheme.

Leh has become the first district in the state to have its own five-year perspective plan 2011-16 for all 93 panchayat halqas of the district and Leh town for the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as per the wishes and needs of people.

The formulation of the perspective plan is mandatory for the implementing agency under the MGNREGA to provide a

The Central Employment Guarantee Council (CEGC)

Taking note of the failure of the Odisha government in implementing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Center has decided to sanction only 25 per cent of the total funds earmarked for the state in the current fiscal.

Moreover, the six districts in the state where CBI is presently probing about irregularities in MGNREGA will not get any assistance from Cent

Funds

It appears there are no takers for the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NAREGA) scheme in Gautam Budh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh. And the simple reason for this is that workers are getting higher wages at private projects and there is no dearth of such projects in Noida.

Under the scheme, over 26,000 job cards were made in Gautam Budh Nagar.

In the season of draft Bills, the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council has come out with its draft of the National Food Security Act, 2011, that gives legal backing to the highly leaky PDS system, thereby excluding innovative options like cash transfers, which may have included variants like food stamps and UID-linked smart cards.

Despite the PM