Minister demands centre to withdraw renaming of MNREGS

The Minister said the Congress strongly condemns the Centre’s decision and announced that statewide protests will be held

 Labour, Employment and Mines Minister Dr. G. Vivek Venkatswamy on Saturday demanded that the Central government withdraw its decision renaming the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS).

He alleged that the BJP-led Central government has an aversion to the name of Mahatma Gandhi and is uncomfortable with welfare schemes that significantly benefit marginalized communities. Dr. Vivek Venkatswamy stated that the scheme predominantly benefits SC, ST, BC and minority communities and was  introduced by the Congress government with the aim of providing livelihood security to the rural poor.

The Minister said the Congress strongly condemns the Centre’s decision and announced that statewide protests will be held from January 5 onwards, in line with the party leadership’s directive.

He further criticized the Centre for shifting nearly 40 percent of the scheme’s financial burden onto state governments through a new bill, while simultaneously failing to release states’ pending tax dues on time. This, he said, has placed states under severe financial stress.

Additionally, Dr. Vivek Venkatswamy pointed out that the Central government has imposed FRBM limits on state borrowing, further restricting their financial flexibility. With such constraints, he warned, state governments would find it increasingly difficult to ensure continued benefits to MNREGS beneficiaries.