Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu: All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Incharge JK affairs Dr. Sayeed Naseer Hussain, MP has said that the new VB- G RAM-G Act replacing the fundamental feature of legal guarantee to work under MGNREGA and aimed at weakening Gram Sabhas and Panchayats by snatching decision making from them, burdening states with 40% sharing of funds, thus bound to fail the rural job Scheme, which provide 5 to 6 crore jobs to rural poor annually.
Addressing a press conference at PCC HQ here today along with PCC President Shri Tariq Hameed Karra, AICC Secretary Divya Maderna, Working President Raman Bhalla, Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, senior leader and Former Minister Mula Ram, DCC Presidents Jammu Urban Yogesh Sawhney and Jammu Rural Neeraj Kundan, Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain lashed out Modi Govt. for the move to replace the biggest Rural employment scheme – MGNREGA, which provided legal guarantee for jobs to every rural household on demand within 15 days, failing which employment allowance was payable under Act..
The new VB-GRAM-G scheme removes the fundamental features like legal guarantee to work besides centralized decision making with Centre Govt, weaken Gram Sabha and Panchayat, shifts burden of 40% funds to states instead of earlier 10%, budget capped allocations, restrictions on work during peak agricultural scams, diluting wage safeguards, thus would lead to reduced employment, suppressed wages and increase rural stress, he added.
MGNREGA had been a corner stone of rural livelihood security, providing employment to 5-6 crore households annually, reducing distress migration, raising rural community wages and creating durable assets. Its demand driven design, assured wages and direct bank payments have particularly benefitted women, Dalits, Aadivasis and marginalized sections with women accounting for nearly 60% of workdays.
He said that Congress has devised a 45 – days long MGNREGA Bachao Sangram in the country to defend the right to work and restore MGNREGA in its original farm.
He announced that from one days fast in all districts on 12th January , Panchayat level outreach in different parts in Districts from 12th to 29th January, followed by peaceful sit in at Blocks and Wards on Martyrs day (30th January) will be held from 31st to 6th February.
MGNREGA Bachao Dharnas shall be held, then state level assembly Gheraos from 7th to 15th Feb shall be held.
He said that the Congress shall also raise this issue in the coming Parliamentary session.
He also referred to the ongoing struggle for statehood by J&K Congress, Hamari Riyasat Hamara Haq and said that it shall also be held simultaneously and intensified alongwith this struggle, as the centre has no intension to restore statehood to J&K. It is most important demand of the people of J&K.
He also termed the cancellation of permission to SMVDIME and described it a wrong decision against the overall interest of youth of the region.
The Centre Govt should have examined the issue in the broader interests and rectified the original mistake committed by them by not granting minority status to respect religious sentiments, rights and merit to produce more doctors. He questioned the fate of around 300 employees engaged in this college.
He also criticized the failure of the Centre Govt to rehabilitate the thousands of flood affected people of J&K especially Jammu region who suffered massive loss in floods 8 months back.
Only routine infrastructure and other losses are being covered which is quite inadequate and the poor people, farmers are still suffering with no relief and rehabilitation to them.
JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra said that party shall under take the detailed schedule of peaceful agitation to save MGNREGA alongwith with intensification of the statehood struggle – Hamari Riyasat Hamara Haq to press for early restoration of statehood.
He said that till statehood is restored, the people of J&K will remain deprived of their democratic rights.DD
