New Delhi The country’s wasteland declined more than 5 lakh hectare during 2005-2008, a national wasteland atlas released on Wednesday has noted.

The atlas prepared by the National Remote Sensing Centre under the Indian Space Research Organisation has stated that wasteland during 2005-08 declined by 3.2 million hectare while increase in wasteland was to the tune of 2.7 million hectare.

New Delhi: Union govt has ranked the sikkim state as best state in the country in the category of smaller states for its outstanding performance in strengthening and developing the panchayati raj institutions in the state Union Rural Development Minister Sh Jai Ram Ramesh and Union Minister of Panchayati Raj and Tribal Development Sh V.Kishore Chandra Deo on Tuesday presented ( Panchayat empowernment and incentivising schemen award) PEAIS 2011-12 award to Sh C.B.Karki Sikkim Rural Management and Development Department Minister during national conference to celebrate the national panchayat raj day function in vigyan bhawan new delhi on Tuesday .

NEW DELHI: Sikkim has won the 'best state' award for strengthening its panchayati raj institutions.

Maharashtra has secured the top position in the country for effective implementation of panchayati raj system in rural areas.

West Bengal Chief Minister sought refinancing for 18,000-km PMGSY roads

Aggravating the face-off between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has shot down West Bengal's demand for financing anew 18,000 km of murram (red sand) roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

After the Supreme Court’s nod to the authorities on April 4 to go ahead with a test incineration of the toxic waste of Bhopal’s abandoned Union Carbide factory at Pithampur near Indore, there is new twist to the toxic waste disposal issue as Union minister for rural development, drinking water and sanitation Jairam Ramesh has written a fresh letter to home minister and chairman, group of ministers on Bhopal, Mr P. Chidamabaram asking that the proposal by GIZ, a German government agency, for incinerating the toxic waste at Hamburg in Germany should be considered.

Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh today rejected 18,000 km of road projects under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) proposed by the West Bengal government.

New Delhi: The government is thinking of letting the states cherry pick the central schemes for rural welfare, a step back from centralized decision-making that it hopes could help quell the accusa

New Delhi Notwithstanding apprehensions expressed by rural development minister Jairam Ramesh on the proposal of giving grain as part payment of wages under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, food minister KV Thomas on Sunday continued to support the idea. Thomas said, “There is enough surplus grain to be given to poor families.”

In a recent letter to the Jairam Ramesh, Thomas had made the proposal, which he said would also help ease the problems of excess foodgrain stocks for the government.

After NREGA, auditor will cover . 99,000 cr of rural development ministry’s spending. The rural development ministry has deepened its engagement with the Comptroller and Auditor-General.