Stoutly opposing the rechristening of the MGNREGA programme as VB-G RAM G and making it conditional, the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Friday passed a resolution for retaining the old nomenclature without altering the rural job guarantee scheme.
With this, Tamil Nadu has joined the list of Opposition-rules states like Punjab, Telangana, and Karnataka which have passed resolutions against the VB-G RAM G Act, alleging that the new model sounded a death knell for the programme.
Moving the resolution, Chief Minister MK Stalin said, “The MGNREGA has been implemented successfully in Tamil Nadu, vastly benefitting the livelihood of women, differently abled, Dalits and Tribals. Under the new Act, replacing MGNREGA, the States have to bear 40 percent of the financial component, burdening them.”
“Without heeding the Opposition to the change of nomenclature and the Union government taking over the implementation, it has been steamrolled upon us. I have written to the Prime Minister to retain the name of the Mahatma without altering the previous system,” he said.
Criticising the new procedure of the Union government providing allocation on a discretionary basis, the resolution said the allocation should be made according to the demand for employment.
“Furthermore, respecting federal principles, the state governments should be allowed to formulate the procedure for allocating the funds according to the demand for employment. Under the new scheme, when the state government’s contribution rises to 40 per cent, the financial burden on the State increases significantly,” it read, adding, “With various intentions the name of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, has been removed… The scheme should continue to be named after Mahatma Gandhi in remembrance of the principles laid down and the path he had shown for the nation.”