NREGA becoming victim of govt’s repressive policies, says Rahul

NEW DELHI, Feb. 18:  Flaying the Centre for its new order of making Aadhaar-based payments mandatory for MGNREGA wages, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the revolutionary policy that has supported a large number of families is becoming a victim of the repressive policies of the central government.

“NREGA is the cornerstone of India’s rural economy and a revolutionary policy that has supported countless families. The NREGAscheme, which is running the homes of crores of families, is becoming a victim of the repressive policies of the Centre,” Rahul said in a Facebook post.

Terming the Aadhaar-based payments an attack on the income of the poor, the Wayanad MP said the UPA government had a vision for Aadhaar card to provide convenience, identity and economic security to the people.

The UPA government implemented the NREGA scheme in 2006. “First cutting the budget of MGNREGA, and now linking the salary with Aadhaar – both these are attacks on the income of the poor,” Rahul said. In a recent order, the ministry of rural development made it mandatory that all payments to the beneficiaries of the rural job scheme would be made through Aadhaar-Based Payment System (ABPS) from February1 onwards. From January 1, the NMMS digital-attendance app was made compulsory for the workers across the country.

“The present government is not only misusing this thinking but also using it against the poor section. Neither was Aadhaar properly communicated, nor was proper security arranged,” Rahul said. The Congress leader also pointed out that 57% of rural labourers will lose their daily wages if the Aadhaar card is made mandatory for NREGA wages. “They do not have any policy to provide new employment. It has become the intention of this government only to take away the employment of the people and to create difficulties for the poor to get their rightful money,” the former Congress President said.

“No new idea, no plan. Just a policy, torturing the poor,” he said. Echoing Rahul’s criticism, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge also said the Modi government is trying to axe the NREGA scheme. “The government has slashed the budget allocation by 33%, while the minister said that it’s not a job scheme. They are asking states to give 40% of the money. However it’s the Centre’s responsibility to give funds,” Kharge said. Urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to stop the scheme, Kharge said the poor will not forgive the government.