Also Read: Job fairs see thousands of hopefuls, but most return home disappointedThis time, Prasad is willing to go for broke. A few hours’ ride from Prasad’s village are India’s only known diamond deposits in Panna, Madhya Pradesh. The Narendra Modi government launched a host of schemes—Make in India, Skill India, Stand-Up India and Startup India—but there has been no visible impact. To add to their woes, the federal government-run rural job guarantee programme (MGNREGA) has ceased to be the safety net it once was. By the last count (Census 2011), rural India was home to less than 120 million farmers but more than 140 million daily wagers.

Source: Mint February 06, 2019 20:03 UTC