CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has come out strongly against the Centre’s proposed changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme and has decided to convene a special session of the state विधानसभा in the second week of January to oppose the move.
Announcing the decision on Saturday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said the BJP-led central government was trying to “snatch the livelihood of the poor and labourers” by altering a scheme that provides employment support to millions of rural households. He said such “bullying by the Centre” would not be tolerated.
The Chief Minister was reacting to the Centre’s reported plan to rename the MGNREGA scheme as “VB Ramji Ram” and introduce several amendments. One of the key proposed changes involves altering the funding pattern of the scheme. Under the existing arrangement, the Centre bears 90 per cent of the expenditure while states contribute 10 per cent. The proposed amendment seeks to change this to a 60:40 sharing ratio between the Centre and the states.
Mann said the reduced central contribution would place an additional financial burden on states and weaken a scheme that serves as a crucial source of livelihood for the rural poor. He added that Punjab would strongly oppose any move that dilutes the original spirit of MGNREGA.
Farmer unions and labour organisations across Punjab have also opposed the proposed amendments, saying they would adversely affect employment guarantees and rural income security.
