From mid-Jan to Dec 30: Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to ‘pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill

Parliament on Thursday passed the VB-G RAM G Bill, which seeks to replace the 20-year-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and guarantee 125 days of rural wage employment every year. The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill with a voice vote, hours after the Lok Sabha cleared it amid strong protests by the opposition over the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the existing scheme, accusing the Centre of putting the financial burden on the states.

Addressing the media after the Cabinet meeting, Cheema accused the BJP-led Centre of tearing apart the “pages of Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s Constitution” one by one. “We are not against the name. We are not against Viksit Bharat. But they are misleading people by naming it after Lord Ram while making amendments to the scheme that would affect the beneficiaries. We will expose this,” said Cheema.

The Finance Minister said that the special session will discuss “how rights of the poor will be snatched” under the VB-G RAM G Bill and how the Centre is “finishing” the MGNREGA.

Multiple sources in the government said that it was discussed and decided that the session should be called at the earliest as the Congress, which made substantial gains in the recently concluded rural polls, was planning to use the G RAM G Bill as an ammunition against the Centre.

“The Congress is already using it as a powerful weapon against the Centre as MGNREGA affects millions in the lower strata of society. We cannot wait a month. That will be too late. The way Congress is making it a big issue, the AAP should also do it and must go a step ahead. We have launched an offensive against the Centre. During the special session will discuss how rights of the poor in Punjab in particular will be snatched,” a source said.

Another source cited a technical issue behind calling the session in December issue. As per the rules of Vidhan Sabha, if a session is called in new calendar year, it would have start with the Governor’s address. If the Governor’s address is delivered, a debate has to take place on it, necessitating a longer session, something that the government does not want, the source said.

Meanwhile, Cheema said though the Centre claims that the new Bill will guarantee 125 days of employment, but fact of the matter is that the number of works have been reduced under, which will not ensure employment of even 10 days for the poor.

“The cleaning of village ponds, which could previously be done twice a year, has now been reduced to just once a year. To prevent people from finding out about these provisions, the scheme’s name has been changed to G RAM G but we will expose these hidden amendments in the special session,” Cheema said.

On Friday, Mann had questioned the G RAM G Bill. He said that the Centre was contributing 90 per cent and states were contributing 10 per cent in the MGNREGA scheme. “Under new scheme, the Centre will contribute 60 per cent, and states will pay 40 per cent. And they (Centre) do not give funds to states. From where the states will bring money,” Mann had asked.