CPI-M to protest against MGNREGA fund cuts

The CPI-M will organise demonstrations across the country, including at parliament house in New Delhi Nov 26, to protest against the curtailment of MGNREGA rural job scheme by the central government, a party leader said here Thursday.

Tripura Chief Minister and CPI-M politburo member Manik Sarkar said he will lead the protests in front of the parliament in New Delhi.

"The CPI-M members will organise mass demonstrations in front of the central government offices across the country to protest against the steps taken by the union government to curtail and dilute MGNREGA," CPI-M central committee member Bijan Dhar said.

He said curtailing MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and its impact on the rural population is a "burning issue in the country now".

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently, Sarkar urged him to restore the funds cut under MGNREGA for Tripura.

He said although MGNREGA was implemented most successfully in Tripura, with 87 days of work per household in the 2013-14 fiscal against the national average of 45 days, the state's allocation had been sharply reduced for the current fiscal (2014-15).

"The unemployed and uneducated rural people, including tribals, minorities, scheduled caste, other backward communities and women, would be affected due to the reduction of funds under MGNREGA," Sarkar said in his letter.