Grameena Koolikarmikara Sangha stages protest against new rural job scheme

Grameena Koolikarmikara Sangha protests in Belagavi against changes to MGNREGA, demanding a return to the original scheme.

Members of Grameena Koolikarmikara Sangha and other organisations led a protest against changes to the repealed MGNREGA rural job scheme in various taluks in Belagavi district on January 30. They protested against the VB-G RAM G scheme and demanded a return to the erstwhile MGNREGA.

Protestors marched to taluk panchayat offices holding posters against the Union government. They submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Belagavi and taluk panchayat officers in other places.

In Belagavi, the protestors gathered in front of the zilla panchayat office. They also raised slogans like ‘Save MGNREGA’ and ‘Our Right to Employment’.

Activist Dilip Kamat said that the Union government has made several changes to the scheme, which is unfavourable to the rural poor.

The most important change is that the repealed MGNREGA ensured that we could demand work as a right. But under the newly formed VB-G RAM G Act, the work is a matter of the grace of the Union government, he said.

It is also highly centralised as the Union government will decide which kind of work with how many workers will be taken up in which district of which State. Earlier, the gram panchayats could take a decision, but this power has been taken away. However, the Centre, which has centralised power in its hands, has escaped from its financial responsibilities.