The energetic focus on the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme appears to have overshadowed other rural development programmes in States, if one goes by the latest quarterly report of the Ministry of Rural Development.

Asphaltation of 8 km-long Addei-Maipala road, a long-pending project in Kokkada village, has been included in the Pradhan Manthri Gram Sadak (PMGS) Yojana, said MLA K Vasanth Bangera.

Addressing a Samparka Sabhe organised by Mundoorpalike Abhivruddhi Samanvaya Samiti (MASS) at Mundoorpalike near here recently, he promised efforts for the allround development of the underdeveloped hamlet.

Panchayat and Rural Development Minister, Gopal Bhargav met the Union Rural Development Minister, CP Joshi here today and requested the latter to accord early sanction to the Rs 791 crore pending proposals of nine districts under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.

SHILLONG: Meghalaya is lagging behind other states in implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sarak Yojana (PMGSY). Though a total of 129 rural habitations were connected with roads in various parts of the State in the past one year, the progress is still inadequate.

Akshaya Kumar Sahaoo
Prime Minister Gramin Sadak Yojana, the flagship rural road connectivity project, has failed to make much headway in coastal Orissa which has, of late, become a hub for a number of dreaded crime syndicates
WITH GANGSTERS on the prowl, the centrally-funded Prime Minister Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) has become the latest casualty in coastal Orissa.

Bowing to pressure from the hilly border State of Arunachal Pradesh, the Central Government has awarded a whopping financial package of Rs 300 crore to the State to bridge the existing

In a disclosure that can put the States on the back foot, the Outcome Budget of Rural Development Ministry shows that States did not spend a whopping Rs 18,000 crore out of their total allocation of Rs 56,854 crore in the last fiscal.

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) may have returned to power on the might of its flagship programmes in its last term, but one of its major programmes, the Bharat Nirman, is caught in delays. Refusing to own the whole responsibility, the Centre has also held the states responsible.

Charanjit Ahuja

Chandigarh: The Himachal Pradesh government plans to connect all villages with population of at least 250 in the state by 2012.

The government's flagship job security scheme - the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (nrega) -is set to undergo major changes by opening its doors to skilled labour and laying emphasis on creation of 'permanent' or 'viewable' assets.