NEW DELHI: Faced with complaints that benefits of NREGA were not reaching intended persons, Rahul Gandhi on Thursday questioned claims by the rural development ministry that the flagship programme was doing fairly well in Naxal-affected districts as compared to rest of the areas. "Can you say it confidently"? he told the top ministry officials at the parliamentary consultative committee to discuss the programme, according to the members present in the meeting. Gandhi's reaction came after the ministry informed him that NREGA was doing fairly well in Naxal-affected districts as compared to rest of the areas of a particular state. Giving the details, secretary of the ministry Reeta Sharma said government data available from 33 Naxal-affected areas showed that NREGA was doing fairly well in those areas as compared to those not affected. "We are relying on data provided by states," she said when Gandhi asked if any study has been done on the issue. During the meeting, Gandhi also sought to know whether the rise in prices of essential commodities have had any impact on NREGA workers, sources said. The ministry informed him that it has initiated a study to assess the impact of price rise on NREGA workers, they added. The meeting, which was attended by 17 members of consultative committee, was chaired by rural development minister C P Joshi. Minister of state for rural development Agatha Sangama was also present.
RAMANATHAPURAM: Lauding the Tamil Nadu model as better than the Gujarat model, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he was happy that Congress was fighting the elections alone in Tamil Nadu and hoped the party would capture power in the state in 2016. Addressing a public meeting to seek votes for the party candidate S Thirunavukkarasar at coastal Ramanathapuram district a day before election campaigning comes to an end in the state, Rahul hit out at BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for projecting Gujarat as an ideal state. Rahul heaped praises on Tamil Nadu's development. "Tamil Nadu has shown what Tamil people are capable of. Modi talks about Gujarat model. Maybe, he should come here and take a look at TN model" Rahul said. Rahul said that the country "does not need a government that makes Hindus fight Muslims." "You must ensure that a secular government comes to power at the Centre," he said. "We don
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