Itanagar, Jan 18 (PTI) Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bosiram Siram on Sunday demanded immediate rollback of the Centre’s decision to rename and restructure MGNREGA, alleging that the move dilutes the scheme’s rights-based character and undermines rural workers’ entitlements.
Addressing the MGNREGA Bachao Sangram outreach programme at Roing in Lower Dibang Valley district, Siram said the renaming of the scheme as VB-G-RAM-G was “political, ideological and dangerous,” and aimed at erasing the legacy associated with Mahatma Gandhi.
He asserted that MGNREGA was enacted by Parliament as a rights-based law and is not the personal property of any government to rename at will, a party statement said here.
The APCC chief claimed that changes in the scheme’s structure have weakened its legal guarantee.
“Earlier, every worker had a legally guaranteed right to demand 100 days of employment. Now everything depends on budgetary allocations. Where is the guarantee? Where is the right?” he asked.
Siram also criticised the introduction of a 60-day monsoon pause, saying the monsoon season is a period of hardship for farmers and tribal communities and suspending work during this time was unjustified.
He further raised concerns over AI-based monitoring, biometric attendance and geo-tagging, arguing that such measures exclude poor labourers in remote areas rather than empowering them.
“Technology must be a facilitator, not an instrument of harassment and exclusion,” he said.
Reiterating the Congress party’s stand, Siram called for the restoration of MGNREGA in its original form.
“Rollback VB-G-RAM-G. Restore MGNREGA. Reinstate its original legal strength,” he said. PTI UPL UPL RG
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.