Centre is trying to undermine MGNRES: MLC Kavitha

Hyderabad: BRS MLC K Kavitha said that the BJP Government at the centre was trying to undermine Mahatma Gandhi's National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Addressing a meeting with the representatives of the NREGS Association at her residence in Hyderabad on Thursday, MLC Kavitha stated that the huge decrease in the allocation of funds for the employment guarantee scheme in the budget presented on Wednesday was proof of this.

"In the budget announced on Wednesday, the Center has allocated only Rs 60,000 crore for NREGS. This is the lowest allocation for MGNREGS in the budget in the last five years. In 2020-21, an amount of Rs. 1,10,000 crores was allocated followed by Rs. 98,000 Cr in 2021-22 and Rs. 89,400 Cr in 2022-23," Kavitha said while adding that the BJP Government allocated only Rs 60,000 crores in a phased manner for the employment guarantee scheme.

Kavitha said that the Centre should've allocated at least Rs. 2.72 lakh crore for the NREGS. She said that the BJP government did not create any new employment opportunities in the rural areas in the last nine years and is not implementing the existing employment programmes either. While the State Government is trying to provide employment opportunities to the people as much as possible, the central government is not cooperating with the states, she said.

Praveen, Founder President of Employment Guarantee Contract Outsourcing Employees, Chairman of Employment Guarantee Scheme JAC Yalabadri Lingayah, Co-Chairman Venkat Ram Reddy, Vijay Kumar, Raghu, Sardar Singh, Anji Reddy, Sudarshan and representatives gave a representation to the MLC in this regard.