Telangana Assembly passes resolution against replacement of MGNREGA

Hyderabad: Amid opposition from the BJP members, the Telangana Legislative Assembly on Friday passed a resolution opposing the Centre's move to replace the MGNREGA with VB G RAM G Act and demanded that the former legislation be continued.

Moving the resolution, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said the new law adversely affects the rights of the poor and women workers, and also undermines the federal spirit by causing additional financial burden on states.

He also demanded that the funding pattern under MGNREGA be continued.

The spirit of Mahatma Gandhi is weakened by removing his name in the title of the new legislation, he alleged.

Claiming that the provision to pause for 60-day during agricultural season would cause injustice to landless poor, he said the employment should be available throughout the year.

While 266 types of work can be taken up under MGNREGA, the new law removes certain works like development of lands which hurts small and marginal farmers, Dalits and tribals, he pointed out and sought the continuation of existing list of works.

Alleging that the VB G RAM G Act is anti-women as it reduces number of work days, the CM said poor women suffer because of this.

"By taking all these issues into consideration and keeping in view the objectives and aims of MGNREGA, this House resolves that the NREGA law be continued as it is to fulfil the aspirations of workers' families," the resolution said.

Revanth Reddy noted that 90 per cent of those who benefited in Telangana by MGNREGA, enacted during the UPA regime, were SCs, STs and BCs and that 62 per cent of them were women.

BJP legislators expressed their opposition to the resolution by voting against it when Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar sought members' response to the resolution, party MLA Palvai Harish Babu told PTI.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, state Panchayat Raj Minister D Anasuya Seethakka and the ruling Congress members defended MGNREGA and found fault with its replacement by the new law.

BJP floor leader A Maheshwar Reddy countered the state government's claims, saying the new law helps in realising Mahatma Gandhi's vision of 'Gram Swaraj' (village self rule).

VB G RAM G helps farmers as it pauses works during agricultural season to address shortage of workers, he said.

Meanwhile, certain comments CPI MLA Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao, who attacked BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, triggered a furore as BJP members objected to his remarks.

Speaker Prasad Kumar assured that he would look into the issue and expunge any objectionable remarks from records.