Amid BRS-BJP slugfest over MGNREGS, Congress hits out at both

Congress accuses the two parties — one in power in the Centre and the other at the state — of “enacting a well-scripted drama” to divert attention from “improper implementation” of the scheme

Telangana Congress leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir said both the BRS government in Telangana and the BJP at the Centre were not implementing the MGNREGS in Telangana as per the guidelines. (File)

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The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) waded into the allegations and counter-allegations traded between the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the BJP over the implementation of the MGNREGS in Telangana. Mohammed Ali Shabbir, former minister and ex-Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Saturday accused the BRS and the BJP of enacting a well-scripted drama to divert attention from the improper implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the state.

Ali made the statement while addressing a meeting after unveiling a statue of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in Anthampally village under Bhiknoor Mandal of Kamareddy constituency. A huge bike rally was also organised on the occasion.

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On December 22, BRS MLC and former MP K Kavitha alleged that the BJP government at the Centre was not implementing the MGNREGS properly in Telangana, and demanded that agriculture works should be included in it. “The BJP government at the Centre is forcing the Telangana government to take back schemes under MGNREGA. The central government has asked the Telangana government to discontinue current state-level schemes under MGNREGA that integrated agricultural activities for farmers,” she said.

Ali said both the BRS government in Telangana and the BJP at the Centre were not implementing the MGNREGS in Telangana as per the guidelines. He added that the ongoing tussle between the BRS and the BJP governments over the alleged diversion of Rs 151.9 crore of MGNREGS funds by the state was deliberately created to divert people’s attention.

The Centre had in the last week of November issued a notice to the Telangana government that it had diverted Rs 151.90 crore to schemes that were not covered by the Union government. Ali pointed out that the BJP government reduced man-days from 16 crore in the last financial year to 10 crore this fiscal under the MGNREGS.

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“Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao did not complain or hold a protest against the BJP government for reducing six crore man-days. Consequently, nearly 55.52 lakh job cardholders in Telangana are not getting adequate work and have lost their source of livelihood. To divert their attention, now BRS leaders are enacting the drama of protest against the Modi government,’’ he alleged.

Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar said the Centre has only sought an explanation from the Telangana government over the diversion. “This allegation that the NREGA scheme is being diluted or not properly implemented is being made to cover up for the diversion of NREGA funds,” he said.

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Ali said both the BRS and the BJP governments were not sincere towards the implementation of NREGS and both were exploring different excuses to reduce the man-days. He demanded that the BRS and the BJP stop the ongoing blame game and take measures to increase the man-days to 150 days per person. The Congress leader said that the BRS and the BJP governments destroyed several institutions and diluted many schemes like the NREGS which were originally designed to empower the common people.

“The MGNREGS was introduced by the previous Congress-led UPA government which is still providing guaranteed employment to the rural population. The Congress government in Rajasthan has recently started a guaranteed employment scheme for the urban population too,” he said.

Sreenivas Janyala

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More