Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) has been a lifeline for poor, labourers and unemployed families in rural areas. However, the central government has scrapped the MGNREGA scheme and introduced a new law called ‘VB-G-RAM-G’. This is not merely a change of name, but the very “soul” of the law has been removed, which will cause large-scale harm to the rural and poor population, alleged state congress committee general secretary adv Sandeep Davhale patil while addressing a press conference.
As per the directions of the all india congress committee, a nationwide MGNREGA protection campaign will be launched, he said. Davhale was speaking at a press conference organised at Gandhi Bhavan in Shahaganj. District president Kiran Patil Dongankar, former minister Anil Patel, former MLA Namdevrao Pawar, agricultural produce market committee director Jagannath Kale, organisation general secretary eng Vishal Banswal and Nimesh Patel were present.
Adv Davhale said MGNREGA had ensured employment as a legal right, which helped provide jobs in rural areas and reduced migration to cities. With the removal of this right, employment opportunities in villages will decline, leading to large-scale migration. He also alleged that under the new law, the powers of states have been curtailed, with the central government retaining all authority.
In this backdrop, he said, the congress party has initiated a nationwide MGNREGA bachao abhiyan to oppose the changes.