States freeze payments to MGNREGA workers
As per the official data, 19 states have frozen payments under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha, a network of grassroots organisations, has informed that over 92 million active workers may not be receiving their wages on time and the delayed wage payments amount to nearly Rs 3,066 crore. Moreover, the central government has not approved most payments for 20 days in March-April 2017 and did not process 80 percent wage payments in May 2017.
NITI Aayog seeks private participation for micro irrigation
To manage and boost the reach of micro irrigation across the country, NITI Aayog has put forward a draft concept report--Draft Model Public Private Partnership Policy Guidelines in Integrated Micro-Irrigation in India--to seek private participation. Under the public-private partnership, the private players would be required to pool in resources to build and maintain infrastructure for micro-irrigation projects. The primary beneficiaries--the farmers--will consolidate their farms for the implementation of the integrated micro-irrigation network.
After Bengaluru, Chennai faces rain fury
In just three days, Chennai has received 36 cm of rainfall which has caused eight rain-related deaths in the city. The state government is said to have set up 105 relief camps across the city and has appealed the private firms in the affected areas to allow work from home to their employees. Although the flood situation is under control, the rough weather and the bad management of the crisis are worrying people who fear a repeat of 2015 Chennai floods.
Kerala fishermen fishing for plastic instead of fish
As part of the sea clean-up project, the Kerala's fishermen have taken up fishing for plastic waste in the ocean. The initiative, linked directly to the livelihood of fishermen, has been launched by the state fisheries department in August in Shakthikulangara and Neendakara, the twin fishing harbours off the Kollam coast. Till date, 250 tonnes of plastic waste has been retrieved from the sea. Looking at the success of the initiative, there are plans to extend the project to other harbours along Kerala's 580-km coastline.
West Bengal: Experts blame unplanned urbanisation for outbreak of dengue
As per the latest government estimates, dengue has caused 40 deaths in West Bengal with at least 20,500 people getting diagnosed with the disease. Experts are blaming it on rapid and unplanned building construction without proper drainage system in semi-urban and rural areas. Along with this, plastic packets that are not disposed of properly provide an ideal breeding ground for the female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that cause dengue.
This is a roundup of important news from November 1 - 7, 2017. Also read the policy matters this week.