CPI-M to protest changes in MGNREGS

CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat Wednesday said the government was trying to change the character of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGS) and his party would launch a protest against it.

Karat said the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) will launch a nationwide agitation Dec 2 against it.

"The (Narendra) Modi government is set to undo, curtail, restrict and change the character of the MNREGA," he said.

"We will conduct a nationwide campaign against curtailment of the MNREGA and there will be a countrywide protest Dec 2."

The government has proposed to change the spending mix on the scheme from 60:40 (for material and wages) to 51:49 and to focus the scheme on the 200 poorest districts.