Himachal Pradesh News
Mandi News : ‘Injustice to the poor’: Congress protests Centre’s changes to MGNREGA
The Congress staged protests in Mandi against the Centre’s proposed changes to MGNREGA, warning that the move would weaken the scheme and hurt rural livelihoods.
The District Congress Committee, Mandi, on Sunday staged a protest against the changes proposed by the Central Government to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), terming the move “unjust” and “harmful” to crores of poor people across the country.
Congress workers held a dharna in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue here under the leadership of former minister and senior party leader Kaul Singh Thakur.
Addressing the protesters, Thakur said the MGNREGA was implemented on December 21, 2004, during the tenure of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. He said the Act guaranteed employment to millions of rural households at their doorstep and played a crucial role in strengthening the rural economy.
Thakur claimed that the economic security provided by MGNREGA improved the financial condition of villages and contributed significantly to India’s overall economic growth. He alleged that any attempt to amend the Act would amount to direct injustice to crores of poor families whose livelihoods depended on the scheme.
The former minister further alleged that the changes introduced by the Central Government had several shortcomings. If implemented in their present form, he said, they would place an additional financial burden on state governments, many of which may not be able to bear the cost.
“As a result, the scheme may gradually weaken and could eventually be phased out, depriving rural people of their basic right to employment,” Thakur said.
Several senior Congress leaders and party workers participated in the protest, including former district president Chet Ram Thakur, Congress leader Jagdish Reddy and Zila Parishad member Champa Thakur. The protesters demanded that the Centre withdraw the proposed changes and ensure that MGNREGA continues in its original spirit to safeguard the interests of rural and economically weaker sections.
Protest planned in Shimla
Meanwhile, the Congress has announced a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Shimla on Monday against the Centre for renaming MGNREGA and allegedly weakening the scheme.
State Congress leaders and workers, including AICC co-incharge for Himachal Pradesh Chetan Chauhan and Vidit Chaudhary, will participate in the demonstration. State Congress president Vinay Kumar has directed all party leaders, including councillors and former councillors of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, to attend the protest.
Vinay Kumar accused the Central Government of insulting Mahatma Gandhi by changing the name of the scheme. “By renaming the scheme started by the previous Congress government in Mahatma Gandhi’s name, the Centre has not only insulted Mahatma Gandhi but has also weakened the scheme meant for the rural poor,” he said.
