Manipur Congress slams BJP for replacing MGNREGA

IMPHAL — Former Manipur Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh has criticised the BJP government at the Centre for replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) 2005, a central flagship programme, with the Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB—G RAM G) Bill, and also for removing Mahatma Gandhiji's name from it.

Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan in Imphal on Monday afternoon, Ibobi Singh questioned the reason behind the replacement.

Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Keisham Meghachandra  Sinsh, Congress Working Committee member Gaikhangam, former MLAs Y Surchandra and Laishram Radhakishore, and other senior party leaders also attended the press conference.

Condemning the replacement of the act and terming removal of Gandhiji's name as an insult to the ‘Father of the Nation,’ he also asked what is the harm in retaining the name of the act as it is.

He also expressed concern over the cost-sharing pattern of 60:40 between the Centre and states as the act is to be implemented as a centrally-sponsored scheme.

Singh however said the present act can be amended for the better welfare of the people.

Also read: Sonia Gandhi accuses Centre of bulldozing MGNREGA, warns of 'catastrophic fallout'

He added that the report of further increase of the days of wage employment of the MGNREGA, which originally has 100-day entitlement of wage employment per rural household in each financial year, to 125 days is a positive step.

Meghachandra alleged that apart from the humiliation of the ‘Father of the Nation’ in Parliament, the amended act lacks clarity on several crucial provisions.

Claiming that the amendment undermines the rights of rural people and disturbs the federal structure of the country, he also criticised the passage of the bill without adequate debate.