BJP Not Just Changed Scheme’s Name, But Also Weakened Its Employment Components: Harpal Singh Cheema
Punjab News (Harpreet Singh): Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday tore into the BJP-led Central Government for systematically weakening employment opportunities for the country’s poor, Dalits and labourers by making major changes to the rural employment scheme. He said the latest figures had vindicated the concerns raised by AAP when the scheme was renamed VB-G RAM-G.
Addressing a press conference, senior AAP leader and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated, “The BJP had repeatedly claimed that only the name of the scheme had been changed and that everything else remained the same. However, several components within the scheme that generated employment had been altered. The reality is now before the people. The BJP government has dealt a severe blow to the employment of the poor and labourers of this country.”
Citing the latest statistics, he stated, “Around 9.56 crore fewer person-days of employment had been generated through the scheme compared with the previous year. While around 30 crore person-days were generated last year, the figure had fallen to approximately 20.4 crore this year, representing a massive reduction in employment available to rural workers.”
The Cabinet Minister emphasised, “The impact was particularly significant for Dalit and marginalised communities. Around 87% of the workers covered under the scheme are from Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities and the BJP government’s changes have pushed these communities further down. It’s because The BJP is Anti-Dalit and hates them. The BJP government has hit the poorest people where it hurts most, their livelihoods and their daily wages. It makes it clear that the BJP is pushing the poor and Dalits away from employment.”
Harpal Singh Cheema added, “The BJP had come to power promising to increase employment under the scheme to 125 days, but instead of increasing work opportunities, the government has reduced the number of person-days available to workers.”
Harpal Singh Cheema asserted, “These figures clearly show that the BJP government is depriving Dalits, poor people and labourers of employment. They changed the name of the scheme, but they also changed its components and weakened the employment it provided. The BJP government has shown through its actions that it is working against the interests of the country’s poor, Dalits and working people.”
