Union government denies additional funds for MGNREGS in FY25: Reports
New Delhi: The Union Government has announced that it will not release additional funds for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for the financial year 2025. According to a report by Financial Express, officials stated that the allocated outlay of ₹86,000 crore should be sufficient for the year, with an additional ₹7,500 crore in unspent funds from previous allocations expected to cover remaining expenses.
The government also claimed that certain relatively “well-off” states were diverting funds from the scheme’s intended purpose of providing employment to rural workers, using it instead as an alternative income source.
An official remarked, “The highest amount drawn by states was during COVID-19, reaching ₹1.1 lakh crore when rural distress was at its peak. In comparison, ₹86,000 crore is sufficient during normal times when rural demand is relatively stable.”
So far, ₹82,684 crore, 96% of the total outlay, has been released by the Centre. However, actual spending has reached approximately ₹94,500 crore, which includes the utilisation of leftover funds from previous allocations.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin recently appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Centre to release the remaining funds without delay. Despite this, the government has maintained the same ₹86,000 crore allocation as promised in the Union Budget 2024-25, reflecting stagnation in the scheme’s funding over recent years.
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No 'bacterial infection' found in bodies of 4 Mumbai family members who died after eating watermelon
Mumbai (PTI): The initial report submitted by the microbiology department of a Mumbai-based state-run hospital has said no "bacterial infection" was detected in the bodies of four family members, who died after consuming watermelon recently, officials said on Wednesday.
The Dokadia family, residents of Ghari Mohalla on Ismail Kurte Road, had hosted a get-together of relatives on the night of April 25. At around 1 am (on April 26), hours after the guests had left, Abdullah Dokadia (40), his wife Nasreen (35), and daughters Ayesha (16) and Zaineb (13) ate pieces of a watermelon.
They suffered severe bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea in the early hours of April 26 and were rushed to a local hospital before being referred to the government-run J J Hospital where all four died during treatment.
After the incident, Mumbai police, forensic experts and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials visited the house and had collected samples of every food item that constituted the family's last meal, including 'chicken pulav', watermelon, water, and other foodstuffs, and sent them to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis.
After the post-mortem of the deceased, their viscera was preserved for chemical analysis.
As the probe is underway, the microbiology department of the state-run J J Hospital has submitted its initial report to the police.
"As per the report, no bacterial infection has been detected so far in the bodies of the victims. No bacteria was found in their blood," the official said.
The exact cause of the death will be known once the forensic science lab submits its report, he said.
"The report will also clarify whether any food items consumed by the family members during the day contained anything poisonous," the official said.
