Tamil Nadu: Resolution against G RAM G 'diluting' rural job scheme
CHENNAI: The Assembly on Friday unanimously adopted the resolution against the sections of the new Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) scheme, the erstwhile Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
The resolution emphasised that the scheme continue to be named after Mahatma Gandhi. When the resolution was passed through a voice vote, the BJP members were absent from the House.
The resolution, moved by Chief Minister MK Stalin, said it must be guaranteed that the allocation for the scheme was no less than that made in the previous years under the MGNREGS, so that the livelihood of women, persons with disabilities, and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes was continuously protected and social security was assured.
The proposed new procedure of the Union government for allocating funds on a discretionary basis, based on the intended assessment, should be abandoned, and the practice of allocating funds according to employment demand, which was already being followed under the MGNREGS, should continue, the resolution stated.
The resolution urged the Centre to honour federal principles.
Under the new G RAM G scheme, when the State government's contribution rises to 40%, the financial burden on the State will increase significantly, the resolution noted.
It also emphasised that the financial contribution for the new programme should be similar to that of the MGNREGS.
"With ulterior motives, the name of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, has been removed," the resolution stated.
It urged that the programme "should continue to be named after Mahatma Gandhi in remembrance of the principles laid down and the path he had shown to the nation."
While moving the motion, CM Stalin said that though the Tamil Nadu government has been treating both Union and State government programmes equally, the Union government has been betraying the State.
"The Union government is showing a step-motherly treatment towards Tamil Nadu by not releasing funds, be it for any Union government programme, and is intentionally causing delay."
"Our MPs from Tamil Nadu voiced their opposition when the Bill came up. All Opposition parties opposed it. But the Union government did not respect our voices," he added.
Speaking on the issue, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, RB Udhayakumar, said the resolution was being introduced in the Assembly for political reasons. In response, CM Stalin said Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami was about to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai, and that he hoped that Palaniswami would urge Modi against the G RAM G Act.
Congress legislator K Selvaperunthagai, PMK MLA GK Mani, VCK MLA M Babu, CPM MLA M Chinnadurai, CPI MLA K Marimuthu, Tiruchengodu MLA ER Eswaran, Papanasam MLA MH Jawahirullah, and Ariyalur MLA K Chinnappa also spoke on the resolution. Following a voice vote, Speaker M Appavu declared that the resolution was adopted unanimously.