TNCC, VCK oppose Bill replacing MNREGA

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi have opposed the renaming and restructuring of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, which was introduced by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to alleviate rural poverty and address unemployment by guaranteeing 100 days of employment.

While TNCC president K. Selvaperunthagai said the party would organise a protest in front of the General Post Office on Anna Salai in Chennai on Thursday, VCK chief Thol. Thirumavalavan said the new Bill has been introduced with an intention of completely dismantling the scheme.

“Naming the scheme after Mahatma Gandhi, who devoted a major part of his life to the uplift of rural people, was both appropriate and fitting. However, the Union BJP government has now introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha session to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act— which serves as a minimum wage security programme for rural people. This move clearly exposes the animosity that the BJP harbours towards Mahatma Gandhi,” said Mr. Selvaperunthagai.

He further said the leaders of the INDIA bloc will participate in the protest.

Mr. Thirumavalavan demanded the Bill be withdrawn as it proposes that except north eastern states and union territories, the Centre would only cover 60% of the total cost for states across India.

“The MGNREGA uniquely defined the provision of employment as a legal right, something that does not exist anywhere else in the world. It also played a significant role in strengthening the rural economy. The new bill states that the Union government will bear 90% of the wage cost only for the northeastern states and certain Union Territories, while for all other states, it will bear only 60% of the total cost, forcing state governments to bear the remaining 40%. This places an enormous financial burden on state governments,” he said.