Congress takes out foot march in Raipur under save MNREGA campaign

Raipur, Jan 16 (PTI) The Congress on Friday organised a foot march as part of its 'MNREGA Bachao Sangram' campaign, accusing the BJP-led Union government of undermining the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act by enacting a new law.

Led by state Congress president Deepak Baij, the march was taken out from Mata Kaushalya Dham in Chandkhuri to the old State Assembly building here, covering a distance of about 15 km.

The opposition party is conducting the nationwide MGNREGA Bachao Sangram from January 10 to February 25 to demand the withdrawal of the VB G-RAM-G Act and restoration of the MGNREGA.

Addressing a gathering ahead of the march, Baij alleged that the Centre wanted to snatch employment from labourers, and warned that dilution or repeal of the MGNREGA would trigger a livelihood crisis in rural areas.

Under the guise of "reforms", the Union government passed a bill that would eventually dismantle the world's largest employment guarantee scheme, he alleged.

Under the MGNREGA, the Centre provided about 90 per cent of the funds, while under the new law -- G RAM G (Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) -- the funding pattern will change to 60-40 ratio between the Centre and the states, with central funds being released only after states deposit their matching share, Baij said.

This would place unsustainable financial burden on states and lead to closure of the scheme, he claimed.

MGNREGA, a rights-based law linked to Article 21 of the Constitution, was being converted into a conditional and centrally controlled scheme, the Congress leader said.

The new law would allow guaranteed employment to be halted for fixed periods each year, enabling governments to decide when the poor could earn and when they would be left without work, Baij further said.

Before the start of the march, Congress leaders and workers offered prayers at the Mata Kaushalya temple. Former MP Chhaya Verma and several senior party leaders were also present. PTI TKP KRK