NEW DELHI: Mounting a sharp attack on the proposed legislation to replace MGNREGA, the Opposition parties on Wednesday accused the government of weakening the rights-based welfare scheme and for attempting to erase Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy.
Initiating the debate on ‘Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill (VB-G RAM G), Congress MP from Haryana, Jai Prakash, said the proposed law will create fresh financial liabilities for the states and deprive grassroots-level bodies such as the gram sabhas of their rights to decide on the work to be undertaken under the draft law.
Opposing the bill, Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh said that the provisions of the new bill are a blow to states like Kerala, which is already under financial strain due to Centre’s anti- state policies.
Suresh also lamented the deletion of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the title of the proposed Bill. However, the treasury benches mounted a strong defence with many citing the increase of working days from 100 to 125 days.
Mahua Moitra of the Trinamool Congress said the provision of 60:40 basis of Centre-State expenditure-sharing would prove to be the death knell of the scheme.
“In an expenditure of `10,000 crore, the distribution of 60:40 Centre-State spending would be `6,000 crore and `4,000 crore. So, the state share has gone up by 430%,” said Moitra.
Quoting Gandhi, she said, “By Ram Rajya I do not mean Hindu Raj, I mean divine Raj, the kingdom of God. Ram Rajya ensures equal rights for all, prince and pauper alike. It is the sovereignty of the people based on moral authority.”
The MP added, “By changing the name and repealing the act you have destroyed Gandhi ji’s idea of Ram Rajya both in letter and in spirit.” She pointed out that before the suspension of fund releases in 2022, Bengal was among the top performers of MGNREGA nationwide.
“Approximately 2.6 crore job card holders across 1.4 crore rural households were in Bengal. Since March 2022, the government has not released one single paisa to West Bengal. As of today the Centre has outstanding MGNREGA dues of `52,000 crore,” Moitra said. “When we went to meet the minister we were dragged out by the police,” the Trinamool MP said.