Sukhu pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on Martyr’s Day, observes fast against MGNREGA dilution

The CM said, “Previously village pradhans had the powers to undertake works such as road construction under the MGNREGA, ensuring employment near people’s homes, and during the COVID-19 pandemic the scheme played a crucial role in providing maximum employment to the people. However the powers of panchayat pradhans have now been taken away. For the past 20 years, the MGNREGA had guaranteed employment and also provided for an unemployment allowance if work was not offered. Today’s two-hour fast was organised to protest against the systematic dismantling of the scheme.”

Meanwhile, responding to a query regarding the import duty on apples, Sukhu said he had raised the issue of lowering import duty on apples from New Zealand in his meeting with Union Minister Piyush Goyal. He said that any reduction in import duty would seriously harm apple growers of Himachal Pradesh. Congress Himachal Pradesh in-charge Rajni Patil, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Congress President Vinay Kumar and other senior Congress leaders were also present on the occasion.