NDA govt. trying to phase out rural employment guarantee scheme, says Congress

The Congress in Dakshina Kannada on Monday launched its four-day 100-km ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram Padayatra’ from Sullia to Mulky demanding repealing of the Viksit-Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act and restoration of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Speaking while inaugurating the padayatra at Sullia, K. Jayaprakash Hegde, former Minister and former chairman of the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, alleged that the Union government is conspiring to phase out MGNREGA by changing its name and diluting its structure.

Mr. Hegde said that in the name of increasing the number of working days under the VB-G RAM G Act, the Union government has increased the financial share of the States by reducing its grant. States will now have to bear 40% of the costs. “Thus the Union government is attempting to phase out the scheme, launched by the Congress led UPA government, itself,” he alleged.

The Congress leader said that the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power by promising to generate two crore jobs annually. As per the promise, 24 crore jobs should have been created in the past about 12 years of NDA rule. But reality is different. “Instead, the government is snatching away the jobs of people,” he alleged.

Mr. Hegde said that he hoped that the padayatra of the Congress should be able to restore MGNREGA.

K. Harish Kumar, president, Dakshina Kannada Congress Committee and former MLC, said that the UPA government had launched the scheme to ensure job and food security to poor labourers in rural areas. Many gram panchayats used MGNREGA effectively to create facilities in their jurisdiction.

With the new law, Mr. Kumar alleged the Union government will take total control over the works being taken up and gram panchayats will have no say. Unlike the earlier MGNREGA, the Union government has reduced its share of contribution to 60% and raised share of the State government to 40%.

The first day’s padayatra concluded at Kumbra where a public meeting was held.

According to Mr. Kumar, the second day’s padayatra will end at Mani and on the third day it will halt at Farangipet. Finally it will end at Mulky on February 12.