A Rojgar Adhikar Yatra (a journey for employment rights), through some of the 150 districts where the National Food for Work Programme (nfwp) is underway, has found that rampant corruption afflicts the programme. The findings are significant because the nfwp is touted as the forerunner to a comprehensive employment guarantee act. And, the employment guarantee bill is slated to come up for approval in the parliament's monsoon that begins on July 21, 2005.

"The government lacks the will to implement the nfwp,' says economist Jean Dreze . He was among the 120 who, between May 21 and July 5, 2005, took part in the 5,000-kilometre yatra through Bihar, Madhya Pradesh (mp), Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (up), Jharkhand, West Bengal and Gujarat. "The yatra aimed to create awareness about employment guarantee,' says Dreze.

Muster roll corruption The economist complains that fudging of muster rolls