NEW DELHI: In the first meeting of a parliamentary panel after the passage of the new act during the recently concluded winter session of Parliament, smooth transition from the rural job scheme MGNREGA to the new VB-G RAM G, payments to the beneficiaries, and the additional budgetary support for the scheme, were some of the issues discussed.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Committee examined various aspects of the UPA-era rural job guarantee law, MGNREGA, which has now been replaced by the Modi government’s VB-G RAM G Act, and how to move ahead in the next six months for a smooth transition to the new legislation.
Sources said several members raised concerns about ways to be adopted in the next six months for a smooth transition when the government shifts work policies from MGNREGA to the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act (VB-G RAM G).
During the meeting, the secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development gave a presentation on the MGNREGA. According to the presentation, sources said, except for Delhi and Chandigarh, MGNREGA is implemented in 741 districts, covering 2.69 lakh gram panchayats with 12.15 crore active workers.
Sources said opposition also questioned how payments would be made to beneficiaries during the next six months and how additional budgetary support would be arranged.
Committee Chairperson and Congress leader Saptagiri Ulaka said the members discussed various aspects of MGNREGA threadbare and how to go about in the next six months, as the new law will be implemented only when the rules are framed. He said that the members intend to discuss MGNERGA in the Budget session too, and for all these, there was a briefing session from the Ministry of Rural Development.
‘It’s not true that members supported new law’
Committee Chairperson Saptagiri Ulaka said the members also discussed whether MGNREGA was still alive or not. It was said that the law would be in existence for six months. “It’s not true that members supported the VB-G RAM G. Many issues came up, but everything can’t be made public. The meeting was about MGNREGA, what is the stance and what is going to be its future,” he said.