Punjab's AAP govt brings resolution in Assembly against VB-G RAM G Act

Sond said that the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G, Act will severely impact below-poverty-line families, SC communities, and rural labourers

The AAP government on Tuesday brought a resolution against the VB-G RAM G Act in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha and accused the BJP-led Centre of trying to finish the MGNREGA.

Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond tabled the resolution in the House for discussion during the one-day session of the assembly.

Sond said that the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G, Act will severely impact below-poverty-line families, Scheduled Caste communities, and rural labourers who depend on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for survival.

Sond alleged that the Centre wanted to "finish" the MGNREGA, and demanded its restoration.

 

According to the resolution, the state assembly deprecated the VB-G RAM G Act, which it said takes away the right to guaranteed wages/employment from poor labourers, women, and lakhs of job card-holding families of the state.

It recommended that the state government take up the matter with the Centre to maintain the demand-based, rights-based and fully centrally sponsored structure of MGNREGA.

It also sought the Centre reconsider those provisions of the VB-G RAM G Act which impose "undue financial burden" on the states and dilute the right to employment of rural labourers.

Participating in the discussion on the resolution, AAP MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal called the VB-G RAM G Act "anti-poor" and demanded its withdrawal.