Jairam Ramesh to review job scheme, to complete poverty census

As the new rural development minister, Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said a review of the achievements of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and completion of the census of families living below the poverty line would be among his key priorities.

"The BPL census was last held in 2002. We hope to complete it by the end of the year," Ramesh said a day after he was sworn in as rural development minister.

"We will also review the NREGA. We need to find out whether Rs40,000 crore spent on it has benefited the people," he added.
 
In a cabinet reshuffle Tuesday, Ramesh was moved from the environment ministry to the rural development ministry. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Ramesh's talents will be better utilised in the new portfolio.