The Congress government in Karnataka is likely to start a movement against the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025, and is expected to bring out scheme/ legislation to sustain rural livelihood and employment guarantee.
On Thursday, the Cabinet condemned the repealing of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is expected to spell out the State government’s move on Saturday.
Government sources said that the employment and labour were in concurrent list, and that the State government is empowered to have its own legislation despite a central legislation.
“There is a possibility that the State will have its own legislation or scheme to implement the rural employment guarantee. As it is the Centre is not providing much to the State under the NREGA. There could be an andolan (movement) against the new Act that heavily favours the contractors,” said the source.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet that met here condemned the repealing of the NREGA and discussed in detail on the consequences of the new legislation.
“The Constituon 73rd amendment had sought decentralisation of powers and encouraged bottom to top approach in rural development by providing powers to panchayats. Karnataka has also enacted Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act to this effect,” Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil told presspersons here in his post Cabinet briefing.
Stating that the new legislation has turned the present panchayat raj system upside down, he said, “The new Act seeks to centralise powers. It will now decide which panchayat can take what kind of work to be implemented. Also, it increases the financial burden on the State. Currently, under the rural employment guarantee scheme, a large number of assets at the village level had been created.”
Mr. Patil said that while the Centre has snatched away Right to Work, the new legislation will also benefit the contractors.
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