HYDERABAD: Sharply criticising the Union government for what she said were “attempts to weaken and eventually scrap the MGNREGS”, MLC K Kavitha on Thursday said that a sharp cut in the funds allocated for the scheme would leave the lives of the rural poor in jeopardy. Kavitha said the huge cut in the allocation of funds for the scheme in the Union Budget is a clear hint that the Centre plans to discontinue it.
The MLC was speaking after meeting representatives of the MGNREGS Association at her residence on Thursday. She pointed out that the Centre has allocated only Rs 60,000 crore for MGNREGS, the least in the last five years.
“The Modi government has been reducing allocations for the scheme every year. The allocation was Rs 1.1 lakh crore in 2020-21, Rs 98,000 crore in 2021-22 and in 2022-23, it was cut to Rs 89,400 crore. The fact is that at least Rs 2.72 lakh crore is required for effective implementation of MGNREGA this year,” Kavitha said.
Reminding that the Centre did not create any new employment opportunities in rural areas in the last nine years, she alleged that the Centre was not keen on implementing schemes like MGNREGS.