The Himachal Pradesh state
secretariat of the Communist party of India Marxist has strongly condemned the central government for starving the state of Himachal Pradesh for want of
MNREGA funds. The people working under
this scheme have not been paid wages
since last 6 months as the BJP government in the centre has slashed the grant
by over 50% . The labour component amounting to more than Rs 70 crores is
outstanding to the workmen who have not been paid . The state was supposed to
get an anuual support of Rs 670 crores but the party that sang the rhetoric of
'ache din' i.e. good days has reduced it to Rs 355 crores. This has severely affected the functioning of
this scheme especially in the areas that were galloping fast under it. The
districts of Mandi, Sirmour, Una and Shimla have been the severest hit. The
party has asked the chief minister who is in Delhi for the NIti Ayog meeting to
seriously take up this matter and pursue the case of the state vigorously. the
party has also asked the state leadership of the BJP to openly condemn this
reduction and prevail on their central leadership to increase the grant under
MNREGA.
The CPIM has stated, over the years
MNREGA has been helpful in creating a demand in the countryside and that too in
a demand constrained economy. Not just that large assets for the people have
been created in the past that were unheard of in the history of independent
India. It was not just an inclusive scheme but also where the working people
felt quite organically to the job as it was their own asset which was being
created. The reduction in the grant will not just cripple the entire scheme but
will desist the people from it and will turn the act redundant finally falling
once again a victim to the private style of functioning in the countryside.
The party fully supports the
convention being held by the workers and the farmers of the state on 13th
in Mandi against this onslaught on MNREGA. The party will mobilise its activists for this
convention and also appeals to the common people in the rural areas to join
this convention and register their protest.
The party demands immediate release of the balance amount to the state and also
giving the grant to the state government
not with reduced amount but full.
Tikender Singh Panwar
Member state secretariat
