The Government of India has agreed to clear and approve sanctions for road projects proposals worth Rs 413.29 crore located in six districts of Andhra Pradesh.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is exploring the possibility of land reforms even as he has been slammed by activists for not having convened a single meeting of the National Council for Land Reforms (NCLR) headed by him since its formation in 2008. Dr Singh has directed the Planning Commission to set up a meeting with one of the key National Council for Land Reforms members P.V. Rajagopal, who has been on a countrywide tour to identify land issues in the rural India.

Railway track and stations will be cleaner in the days to come, with the railways deciding to install bio-toilets in all coaches in a phased manner. It, however, cautioned that the success of the project would depend upon the cooperation and discipline of passengers.

The decision comes close on the heels of an offer made by the Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh to share 50 per cent of the cost from the budgetary allocation of the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. The offer pertains to retrofitting bio-toilets that the railways have developed jointly with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in 50,000 passenger coaches.

The changes are aimed at boosting industrial growth, which had suffered considerably because of the enormity of challenges associated with acquiring land.

Digitisation of land records, mutations & maps to be done by 2017 so that individuals can become conclusive owners of property

A bill will be brought in the next session of Parliament to guide states in completion of digitisation of land records, mutations and maps by 2017 so that individuals can become "conclusive" owners of property, the Lok Sabha was informed today. Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said during Question Hour that computerisation of land records had been completed in almost all states except Bihar, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand.

Adequate provisions have been made in the proposed LARR Bill 2011 to protect the rights of farmers on land

The revised land acquisition bill incorporating recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee is proposed to be introduced in Lok Sabha for its consideration, the Rural Development Ministry said today. In written reply to a question, Minister of State for Rural Development Sisir Kumar Adhikari said, "Based on the recommendation of the Standing Committee or otherwise the amendments to the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Bill are proposed to be introduced in the Lok Sabha for its consideration."

The Union Ministry of Rural Development has sanctioned two projects worth Rs 21.5 crore, under the National Rural Livelihood Mission, for Karnataka.

Both projects are aimed at empowering rural women and will be implemented through NGOs, with active involvement of the state government. The State Genetic Resources Ecology and Nutrition Foundation (Green Foundation) has been selected for implementation of the project in Chitradurga and Ramanagara districts. The project, with an estimated cost of Rs 6.5 crore, is expected to benefit around 5,000 women.

A movement promoting self-rule in villages and community rights to forests has come under attack from Naxals in the region where it was pioneered.

While there is a need to lay over 45,000 km of rural roads to provide all-weather connectivity to all the habitations having population of at least 250, the State Government has set an ambitious ta

The empowered group of ministers (EGoM) on drought, headed by agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, is likely to meet on Thursday to review the drought situation in the country.