From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday decried a recent Centre’s decision not to sanction the annual labour budget of the states until they appoint the Lokpals and meets the conditions of the Social Audit, lashing out at punishing the labourers by stopping the money for not their fault as such a step is improper and inhuman.
Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha, she said those who had made fun of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA some years ago must have now realised how it came handy for the government to help out crores of the poor during Covid and repeated lockdowns. She flayed cuts applied in MGNREGA, the highest cut of 20% this year compared to the 2020 budget.
Pointing out that the reduction in the MGNREGA budget is causing delay in payment to the workers, which even the Supreme Court decried as “forced labour,” Sonia Gandhi referred to the states’ reports on March 26 showing the arrears of wages under the programme to the tune of about Rs 5,000 crore.
She urged the government to take three steps to help out the unemployed workers:
First, a proper budget be sanctioned for MGNREGA;
Second, ensure payment to workers within 15 days; and
Third, workers must get compensation in case of delay in payment of the wages.
“After toiling for days on end, the enrolled workers often receive wages after extreme delays. MGNREGA is meant to give work and dignity to millions of Indians. BJP government has shown only disrespect for their hard work and commitment,” Sonia Gandhi added.
###
