New Delhi, Jan. 19 -- Opposing the new VB-G RAM G Act that has replaced the MGNREGA, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have claimed that work for the country's rural population will now become a "revdi", to be handed over to them as the government decides, and will no longer be a right.
Writing this in a letter to the rural folk, the Congress leaders have alleged that their right to work is being "stolen" even as states are being burdened financially through the new Act.
The letter written by Kharge and Gandhi is part of the Congress's countrywide "MGNREGA Bachao Sangram" demanding the restoration of the earlier law.
The campaign was launched on January 10 and will continue till February 25.
The Congress has asked all its state unit chiefs to disseminate the letter among the rural folk after getting it translated into all local languages.
The letter said 20 years ago, the Congress government led by then prime minister Manmohan Singh brought life to the constitutional right to work by enacting the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Since then, the MGNREGA has generated more than 180 crore days of work, created almost 10 crore assets like village tanks and roads, and strengthened the Panchayati Raj system by empowering gram panchayats to decide on village-level projects, it said.
"During crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the lifeline of the rural Indian economy. The Modi government is now planning to destroy the soul of the MGNREGA in four critical ways.
"Your Right to Work is being stolen. Before: Work was a legal guarantee to every rural family across India. Work had to be provided within 15 days, to any family seeking work in any Gram Panchayat. After: Work will no longer be a right but a 'revdi' to be handed out as the Modi government decides. The Modi government will pick and choose which Gram Panchayats will get work under the scheme," the letter said.
It also claimed that the right to wages is being stolen.
"Before: Work was provided at notified minimum wages which increased yearly and was available 365 days of the year. Families could seek work whenever needed, with the guarantee of a minimum wage.
"After: Wages will be set arbitrarily with no guaranteed yearly revisions. The scheme will not run during the harvest season, so workers will be forced to accept any other work they get with no minimum wage," the Congress leaders said in the letter.
Claiming that the gram panchayats' powers will be handed over to contractors, they said the gram panchayats earlier planned and undertook its own development projects according to their needs,
while contractors were banned and workers were supported by local MGNREGA mates and rozgar sahayaks.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.