Bengaluru: Chief minister Siddaramaiah Tuesday tabled a resolution in the assembly urging the Centre to immediately repeal the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (G RAM G) Act and restore the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in its original form, citing concerns over federalism, decentralisation and rural livelihood rights. BJP opposed the move, arguing it should not be projected as a demand of the House but only that of the governing Congress and demanded the text be amended. “This resolution does not have the consent of BJP and JD(S) and should be immediately rephrased as a Congress party resolution,” said opposition leader R Ashoka.
While tabling the resolution, Siddaramaiah said the House was committed to the panchayati raj system and decentralisation, which he described as the foundation of India’s democracy. He called MGNREGA a “lifeline” for the rural poor and said it had become an “inseparable part” of rural life. He said the G RAM G law, “unilaterally implemented by the Union govt”, was “detrimental to the basic spirit of federalism and to the right to livelihood of rural people”. Referring to the launch of MGNREGA in 2005 by the Manmohan Singh govt, Siddaramaiah said the scheme brought “revolutionary change” through unemployment mitigation, prevention of migration, payment of wages without gender discrimination, strengthening decentralisation through panchayats, and creation of individual and community assets in rural areas. He said the new Act “violates the right to life” guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution” and “goes against the spirit of the 73rd constitutional amendment” by curtailing powers and autonomy of gram panchayats, besides undermining the concept of gram swaraj envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi. Raising objections to the funding pattern, Siddaramaiah said under MGNREGA, the Centre bore 100% of wage cost for 100 person-days, but under the new law, states have been asked to bear 40% of the expenditure. “Although the new Act says 125 person-days of work will be provided, in reality the state will have to bear the cost for 50 person-days,” he said, claiming it would have a “serious impact on the federal structure” and amount to a violation of Articles 258 and 280 of the Constitution. He said MGNREGA treated employment as a “right” and was “demand-driven”, while the new law makes it subject to standards framed by the Union govt, thereby “taking away the people’s right”. He alleged that “powers of gram sabhas have been taken away” and gram panchayats have lost the freedom to choose work based on local needs. The resolution said: “MGNREGA, which enabled rural asset creation and self-reliance of the poor, must be restored in its original form as it existed earlier, and this House urges the Union govt to do so.” With Congress enjoying a majority, the resolution is expected to be passed and sent to the Union govt and President.
