'Avoiding confrontation with Centre': Stalin slams EPS for 'soft stand' on MGNREGS change

Chennai, Dec 18 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday levelled a strong criticism at AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), accusing him of adopting a muted and ambiguous stance on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), which faces significant policy changes from the Centre.

In a statement, Stalin said the AIADMK leader’s recent comments on MGNREGS lacked conviction and clarity, suggesting that EPS was more focused on staying in the good books of the Union government than defending the interests of Tamil Nadu’s rural poor.

He alleged that the Opposition’s tone was deliberately softened to avoid antagonising Delhi.

Stalin said that EPS had claimed that the MGNREGS person-days had been increased from 100 to 125, but countered that the supposed increase exists "only on paper" and does not reflect the ground reality.

The Chief Minister argued that the actual allocation of work had instead been reduced, which has affected thousands of beneficiaries in the state, as he questioned whether EPS was turning a blind eye to the challenges being faced by rural labourers who depend on the scheme.

According to the Chief Minister, Tamil Nadu is being unfairly "penalised for its achievements", including its relatively better record in poverty reduction and population control.

He drew parallels to the reported discussions on reducing parliamentary constituencies in states with successful population management, suggesting that the Centre’s approach was both counterproductive and discriminatory.

Stalin further accused the AIADMK leader of silence on the Union government’s proposed transformation of MGNREGS into VBGRAMG — the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission – Gramin — alleging that the restructuring is aimed at dismantling the core guarantees of the rural employment scheme.

He criticised what he described as a move to shift the financial burden of employment guarantees from the Centre to the state governments. Such a shift, he argued, would undermine the foundational principle of MGNREGS, which is meant to ensure a central safety net for rural labourers.

Stalin questioned why EPS had not publicly opposed this shift when the implications for Tamil Nadu could be severe. Issuing a pointed challenge, Stalin asked whether Palaniswami would openly defend and endorse the Centre’s plan if he believed it to be right, stating that the AIADMK leader appeared reluctant to voice criticism due to his political alignment with the BJP.

The Chief Minister’s remarks mark yet another flashpoint between the ruling DMK and the AIADMK, with MGNREGS now emerging as a key battleground in their ongoing exchanges on federal rights, welfare schemes, and Centre–state relations.

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