Once called a "monument of failure" of the UPA government by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) was one of the flagship schemes launched during the Manmohan Singh government's first tenure, and it proved to be a lifeline for rural workers during the Covid-19 lockdown of 2020. Launched in 2005, the MGNREGS was one of the first major schemes brought by the Manmohan Singh government, which at that time had Left parties supporting it. The UPA government had then described it as a "landmark in our history in removing poverty from the face of the nation". The National Advisory Council (NAC) chaired by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, which had several social activists and experts in an advisory role to the prime minister, also played a key role in shaping the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) based on the 'Right to Work'. The MGNREGA aims at enhancing the livelihood security of rural households by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household that has adult members engaged in unskilled manual work. The scheme was lauded for its impact on reducing distress migration from villages. However, as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government came to power in 2014, it appeared to be critical of the UPA's flagship rural job scheme and reports surfaced that it may be restricted to the most backward districts, triggering a backlash from activists. In 2015, Modi said in the Lok Sabha that the MGNREGS should not be discontinued as it is a "living monument" of the Congress's failure to tackle poverty in 60 years. Also Read: MGNREGA: Choking it to a slow death Paying tribute to former prime minister Manmohan Singh today, activist Nikhil Dey said the fulfilment of the National Common Minimum Programme initiated by the NAC and backed by social movements brought "significant and path-breaking economic rights legislations", empowering the unorganised and marginalised sectors through basic entitlements to food, employment, education and land, amongst others. "Manmohan Singh is considered to be the person who heralded economic liberalisation in India in the early 1990s. Yet the UPA government that he headed came to power in 2004, with a message from India's electorate that for a vast number of people, India was not shining and the market had not given them the benefits of economic growth," Dey said. He said the reforms undertaken during the UPA regime have withstood hostility from "market fundamentalists and subsequent governments" and have shown their enormous value, particularly during periods of economic recession — including Covid. "While there were many voices even in his cabinet who critiqued and opposed these measures, it was clear that Dr Manmohan Singh had himself realised that the market could not be relied on for distributive growth and ordinary people would have to be empowered economically, socially and politically for India to address poverty, malnutrition and deprivation," Dey said. The MGNREGA proved to be a lifeline for many in 2020, when a lockdown was enforced due to the Covid-19 pandemic, triggering a massive reverse migration to villages. According to a 2022 study conducted by the Azim Premji University in a partnership with the National Consortium of Civil Society Organisations on MGNREGA and Collaborative Research and Dissemination (CORD), the scheme helped compensate between 20 per cent and 80 per cent of the income loss incurred because of the lockdown for the most-vulnerable households. Former bureaucrat and activist Aruna Roy, who was a member of the NAC and played a crucial role in several rights-based laws being brought during the UPA regime, said the government under Singh introduced a range of reforms and favoured transparency. "The Manmohan Singh government initiated social audits in MGNREGA and was aware that transparency was an essential prerequisite to the more effective functioning of social sector legislations with a vast canvas, such as the employment guarantee, the right to food, the right to education and the forest rights Acts," Roy said. According to a recent statement from the rural development ministry, more than 6.7 crore workers from about 5 crore families across the country have been provided employment through MGNREGA in the 2024–25 financial year so far and more than half of the beneficiaries are women. Singh died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on Thursday, 26 December 2024, at the age of 92. A seven-day national mourning has been declared in his honour. Also Read: Let Manmohan Singh’s last rites be at a place fit for a memorial: Kharge to ModiSports on TV for Sunday, Dec. 8
Darnold gives Vikings another gem with career-high 377 yards in 27-25 win over Packers MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sam Darnold added another exploit to his career-altering season, passing for a personal-best 377 yards and three touchdowns as the Minnesota Vikings hung on to beat the Green Bay Packers 27-25 for their ninth consecutive victory. The Vikings are 14-2. They set up a final-week showdown in Detroit for both the division title and the No. 1 seed for the playoffs in the NFC. Jordan Love’s only touchdown pass for the Packers came with 2:18 left to pull the Packers within two points. Darnold responded with two completions for first downs to seal the game. Saquon Barkley tops 2,000 yards rushing as Eagles beat Cowboys 41-7 to clinch NFC East PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards to top 2,000 on the season, backup quarterback Kenny Pickett ran and threw for scores before departing with injured ribs, and the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East title by routing the Dallas Cowboys 41-7. Barkley has 2,005 yards and needs 101 in next week’s mostly meaningless regular-season finale to top Eric Dickerson and his 2,105 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. The Eagles led 24-7 in the third quarter when Pickett was drilled by defensive end Micah Parsons, ending his first start in place of the concussed Jalen Hurts. NFC's No. 1 seed comes down to Vikings-Lions showdown at Detroit in Week 18 The NFC’s No. 1 seed will come down to the final week when the Detroit Lions host the Minnesota Vikings. The winner takes the NFC North and gets a first-round playoff bye and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl. The loser gets the No. 5 seed and must play on the road in the wild-card round. The Vikings held on for a 27-25 victory over the Green Bay Packers to set up the high-stakes showdown in Week 18. The Lions visit the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night. Win, lose or tie, they have to beat the Vikings for a second time this season. Bills clinch the AFC's No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the undisciplined Jets ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score and the Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the New York Jets. The Bills put the game away by capitalizing on two Jets turnovers and scoring three touchdowns over a 5:01 span in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Buffalo’s defense forced three takeaways overall and sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, including a 2-yard loss for a safety in the second quarter. The five-time defending AFC East champion Bills improved to 13-3 to match a franchise single-season record. Herro leads Heat over Rockets in game marred by fight and ejections in final minute HOUSTON (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 27 points before being one of being one of seven people ejected, six for their roles in a fight in the final minute of the Miami Heat’s 104-100 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night. Herro was thrown to the ground by the Rockets’ Amen Thompson with 35 seconds left and the Heat leading 99-94. Players and coaches from both benches then came onto the court. Both players were thrown out along with Rockets guard Jalen Green, coach Ime Udoka and assistant coach Ben Sullivan. Terry Rozier was also ejected for Miami. LeBron James at 40: A milestone birthday arrives Monday for the NBA's all-time scoring leader When LeBron James broke another NBA record earlier this month, the one for most regular-season minutes played in a career, his Los Angeles Lakers teammates handled the moment in typical locker room fashion. They made fun of him. Dubbed The Kid from Akron, with a limitless future, James is now the 40-year-old from Los Angeles with wisps of gray in his beard, his milestone birthday coming Monday, one that will make him the first player in NBA history to play in his teens, 20s, 30s and 40s. He has stood and excelled in the spotlight his entire career. Rising Sun Devils: Arizona State looks to pull off another big surprise at the Peach Bowl ATLANTA (AP) — As they prepare for Arizona State’s biggest game in nearly three decades, the guys who made it happen aren’t the least bit surprised to be rated a nearly two-touchdown underdog in the College Football Playoff. That’s a familiar position for the Sun Devils. They've been an underdog most of the season. Of the eight teams still vying for a national championship, there’s no bigger surprise than 11-2 Arizona State. The Sun Devils went 3-9 a year ago and were picked to finish dead last in their first season in the Big 12 Conference. Now, they're getting ready to face Texas in the Peach Bowl quarterfinal game on New Year’s Day. Penn State coach James Franklin says Nick Saban should be college football's commissioner SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Penn State coach James Franklin believes college football needs a commissioner and he even has a candidate in mind: former Alabama coach Nick Saban. Franklin made the suggestion Sunday at Penn State’s College Football Playoff quarterfinals media day ahead of the Fiesta Bowl. The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions are preparing for their game against No. 3 seed Boise State on Tuesday. The veteran coach was responding to a question about Penn State’s backup quarterback situation after Beau Pribula transferred to Missouri before the playoff. Pribula’s decision highlighted some of the frustrating aspects of a new college football world in the Name, Image and Likeness era and the transfer portal, forcing players to make tough decisions at inopportune times. Penn State's polarizing QB Drew Allar puts critics on mute and keeps winning games SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Even when Penn State quarterback Drew Allar gets some praise, it’s usually a backhanded compliment. They say he’s a good game manager and stays within himself, or that he doesn’t try to do too much. They mention he might not be flashy, but he gives the team a chance to win. And here’s the thing about Penn State since Allar stepped under center: The Nittany Lions have won games. A lot of them. Sometimes that’s hard to remember considering the lukewarm reception he often gets from fans. The polarizing Allar has another chance to quiet his critics on Tuesday, when Penn State plays Boise State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Fiesta Bowl. Crosby breaks Lemieux's Penguins career assists record in 3-2 victory over the Islanders PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sidney Crosby broke Mario Lemieux’s Pittsburgh franchise career record for assists on Michael Bunting’s power-play goal and the Penguins beat the New York Islanders 3-2 on Sunday night. Crosby has 1,034 assists, good for 12th in NHL history. Only three players — Ray Bourque, Wayne Gretzky and Steve Yzerman — have more assists with a single team. The 37-year-old Crosby has played 1,310-regular-season games. Lemieux played 915. Evgeni Malkin added the deciding power-play goal in the third for Pittsburgh, which has 14 goals with the man advantage in its last 13 games. Anthony Beauvillier also scored to help the Penguins win for the seventh time in their last eight home games. Alex Nedeljkovic made 29 saves in his first start since Dec. 17.
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The National Economic Council, on Thursday, urged state governments to key into the programmes of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit to address food insecurity. NEC also approved the winding down of the ad-hoc committee on flood, erosion, drought, and desertification, chaired by the governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, transferring its duties to a task force on flood, erosion, drought and mitigation agencies. The council took the decision at its 147th meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja. In a presentation to the council, the Technical Assistant to the President on Agriculture (Office of the Vice President), Marion Moon and the coordinator of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit highlighted the strategy proposed by the unit to collaborate with sub-nationals in addressing food insecurity and unlocking Nigeria’s agricultural potentials across the country. Moon said the PFSCU priorities, especially in agri-business, will enhance delivery mechanisms and expedite action in attaining targets enshrined in the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the various aspirations of the respective state governments. In its resolution, NEC commended the presentation by the unit’s coordinator and urged state governments to key into the initiative. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, said Moon was asked to present a summary of its key achievements at the next council meeting in January 2025. Edun explained, “There was a resolution whereby the Council noted the presentation and the prayers and requested that the unit prepare a summary of its key achievements to present to the next council meeting. “The issue of food security is a worldwide phenomenon. Food insecurity affects, to one extent, over 30 per cent of the world. “The major micro reforms that Mr President has implemented have successfully stabilised important parts of the economy and changed the whole economic incentive framework from rent-seeking to one of now looking to produce in agriculture to manufacture for exports.” Meanwhile, Ododo who is the chairman of the NEC Ad-hoc Committee updated the council on the committee’s activities, noting that the implementation of some of its recommendations, especially the provision of financial support to states and disbursement of funds to line ministries and agencies of government to address flood and related disasters across the country. Ododo prayed that the council approve the winding down of the committee’s activities and the transfer of its duties to the Taskforce on Flood, Erosion, Drought and Desertification. Related News NEC approves RMAFC’s new funding plan, legislative amendments NEC to review state police reports today Nigeria's food security top priority, says minister The council noted the prayers of the committee, commended the chairman and members for discharging their tasks dutifully and approved its recommendations for the disbursement of the balance of funds approved for MDAs for flood mitigation and related activities. Council members were also briefed on the World Bank collaboration on Human Capital Opportunity for Prosperity and Equality, known as the HOPE Project. The World Bank team told attendees that the HOPE-SOP provides an opportunity to boost human capital by tackling both upstream and downstream challenges. The Secretary of NEC, Vitalis Obi, told journalists that the presentation focused on addressing governance and service delivery constraints in basic education and primary health care, among others. The expected outcomes include an enhanced allocation, utilisation and transparency of federal and state funds at facility levels for health and basic education; improved focus on foundational service constraints at facilities (ANC-4, DPT3, mCPR, use of technology); improved foundational literacy & numeracy through structured pedagogy programs to reduce learning poverty (currently at 80; increased access to basic education and primary healthcare services at facility level through community-based management approaches, among others. Having approved the HOPE-GOV and HOPE-PHC in September 2024, the World Bank says it will grant the green light to HOPE-EDU in March 2025 An expression of Interest letter is a pre-requisite for program participation, as a few states have submitted theirs. Also, interested states are to submit their EOIs to the Finance Ministry with copies to sectoral Ministries and the World Bank. Obi said the Council noted the importance of the presentation on human capital development, noting that the programmes under the HOPE initiative are result-driven and would benefit all sub-nationals given the quantum of the challenges across the country. Speaking earlier, the Vice President, Kashim Shettima noted that the programme is a golden opportunity for states to reposition healthcare delivery and the education sector in the various domains and urged all state governments to key in and nominate focal persons to assist in driving the programmes in their areas. Shettima also described the World Bank’s HOPE Project as a significant opportunity for Nigeria. “This initiative promises to strengthen our basic education and primary healthcare systems, ensuring that we expand our human capital indices in ways that create lasting impacts. “Through targeted strategies, we can address long-standing inequalities and position our workforce to compete in a rapidly evolving global economy,” he noted.
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