MNREGA great support to poor, says Andhra Cong chief

Kalyandurgam (Andhra Pradesh), Feb 3 (PTI) APCC president YS Sharmila on Tuesday said the UPA-era rural employment scheme MNREGA is a great support to the poor.

Sharmila had launched a yatra (tour) from Anantapur district to 'save' the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and had expressed grave concern over alleged attempts by the Central Government to dilute it through the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Grameen (VB G-RAM-G) scheme.

"The MNREGA has emerged as a strong pillar of support for the poor and vulnerable sections across rural Andhra Pradesh. It has benefited countless families but the Centre is murdering it," the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee chief said, addressing a gathering.

Continuing her employment guarantee protection Yatra in Anantapur district, she participated in a rachabanda (street corners meetings) at Aidakallu village and interacted with MNREGA workers and villagers.

She alleged that through the VB G-RAM-G scheme framework the Centre was shifting decision-making powers from villages to Delhi ignoring the real local employment needs.

The Congress leader demanded that the Centre must continue to provide 100 per cent funds for MNREGA.

Recalling the origins of the programme, Sharmila said MNREGA was launched in 2006 when YS Rajasekhar Reddy was the chief minister of united Andhra Pradesh with Anantapur as the pilot district.

She claimed that the southern state had once became a national model in implementing the employment guarantee scheme with timely wage payments and transparent work allocation system.

Criticising the NDA coalition government, she alleged that basic facilities at worksites disappeared and workers were now deprived of even drinking water during labour hours.

The APCC chief charged that the Centre considers MNREGA an expenditure and is converting it into a contractor-driven labour supply mechanism across rural India.

She estimated that the VB G-RAM-G law would burden Andhra Pradesh by about Rs 5,000 crore annually, adding to the "already heavy financial crisis".

Sharmila accused both the state and Central governments of acting together against workers and questioned Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for supporting the new policy.

She also criticised YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for not launching a strong movement to protect MNREGA.

Calling for a statewide agitation, she said Congress would continue its fight until MNREGA is fully restored and protected from the controversial VB G-RAM-G law. PTI MS STH SA