Activists against proposed changes in MNREGA

A post card campaign will be launched from tommorrow by some city-based activists against the Centre's proposal to make changes in the MNREGA scheme which will affect the poor people.
As per the plan, around 1,000 letters will be sent to the PMO everyday till May 1, asking the government not to bring any changes in the scheme.
"The NDA government proposed a 15 per cent reduction in the budget allocation for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). It had also hinted at reducing the coverage of the scheme to 200 districts and around 2,500 blocks only," city based activist Indukumar Jani claimed here today.

Jani, alongwith economist Hemantkumar Shah and director of NGO Disha Paulaomee Mistry, has formed a consortium- 'National Rural Employment Guarantee Worker's Union, Gujarat'.
Mistry said, "As per the indications of the Union Ministry of Rural Development, 60 per cent budget under the MNREGA is likely to be allocated for material expenditure, while the allocations to labour charges is likely to be reduced to 40 per cent from 49 per cent."
Shah alleged that while the Centre offered "concession" to corporates to the tune of around Rs 5.32 lakh crore in the financial year 2013-14, it reduced the MNREGA budgetary allocation to Rs 23,000 crore from Rs 38,000 crore.

"If the MNREGA budget is reduced, poor people of the country will have to migrate to cities to earn money as a construction labourer," Shah said.
The consortium said starting tomorrow (December 10- International Human Rights Day) to May 1 (Labour Day) workers, who will be affected by the changes in MNREGA, shall send post-cards to the Prime Ministers's Office (PMO) against the proposed changes.
"Everyday at least 1,000 post-cards would reach to the PMO from all the Indian states, touching nearly two lakh from Gujarat," it said, adding that the letters will also be sent to various ministers in Union cabinet.