The demand for work under the NREGS has remained elevated during the first five months of the current financial year as the number of households availing the scheme reached 2 crore in April, 2.56 crore in May, 3.05 crore in June, and 2.09 crore in July.
Pronab Sen, former Chief Statistician of India, said the jump can be due to two reasons; one, elevated rural unemployment that aggravated due to Covid-19, and timely release of funds by the Centre to states.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has approved a proposal to increase the number of workdays from 100 to 125 under the Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme.
Sivarajan Arumugam, Secretary-General of the Socialist Party of Malaysia, spoke with B. Skanthakumar on the general election, the PSM’s participation in that campaign, its assessment of the new government and the PSM’s plans in the months ahead.