[Marxistindia] Save MGNREGA, Save the Poor

[news from the cpi(m)]

November 26, 2014

Press Release

 

In both the Houses of Parliament today, the issue of "Save MGNREGA, Save the
Poor" was raised  and in protest against the Union Government's refusal to
reply to the issues raised by CPI(M) MPs, MPs of Left Parties staged a
walkout and joined the dharna at Jantar Mantar. The MPs succeeded in getting
the assurance from the Presiding Officers of both the Houses that a separate
structured discussion on this issue will be permitted soon.  

 

Shri Sitaram Yechury, Member, Polit Bureau and Leader, CPI(M) Group in Rajya
Sabha and P. Karunakaran, Member, Central Committee and Leader, CPI(M) Group
in Lok Sabha submitted the following memorandum to Shri Birender Singh,
Minister for Rural Development, Government of India.  We are releasing the
text of the memorandum for publication.

 

**

 

Dear Shri Birender Singhji,

 

Today, November 26th, thousands of MGNREGA workers have joined the CPI(M)
leadership in a dharna outside Parliament on the slogan of Save MGNREGA,
Save the Poor. It is being led by Comrade Manik Sarkar, the Chief Minister
of Tripura. His State of Tripura symbolizes the terrible injustice being
meted out by the Central Government on the issue of MGNREGA.

 

As you know for the last several years, Tripura has been the best performing
State on MGNREGA in India providing number of workdays that are double the
national average. However this year under the NDA Government, the budget
allocation for Tripura has been slashed by almost 50 per cent from what is
required. As a result the main beneficiaries who comprise tribals, dalits
and the rural poor are being very badly affected.

 

This is part of the general policy of drastically reduced allocations to
MGNREGA. Other States are also affected.

 

Unfortunately some other proposals have been made which are grossly
anti-poor. These include moves to restrict MGREGA to 200 backward districts
in the name of concentration on integrated participation; change in the
present labour material ratio of 60:40 to 51:49; permission for introduction
of machines in the name of creation of durable assets, which in turn will
facilitate the entry of contractors.

 

We urge you to reconsider these steps which are very harmful for the
interests of the rural poor. We request you not to convert a demand driven
law into a quota driven one and  ensure allocations according to the agreed
labour budgets of the States. We also request you not to change the present
labour material ratio or to restrict the working of the Act to specific
districts which is entirely illegal.

 

We raise these demands as part of our movement to strengthen the right to
work.

 

With regards,

 

Yours sincerely

 

Sd/-

(Sitaram Yechury)                                        (P. Karunakaran)

Leader, CPI(M) in Rajya Sabha                    Leader, CPI(M) in Lok Sabha

 

 

 

 

 

Central Committee

Communist Party of India (Marxist)

A.K. Gopalan Bhawan

27-29, Bhai Vir Singh Marg, Gole Market

New Delhi 110 001

 

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