Shimla, January 30
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu along with other Congress leaders, today paid floral tributes to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, on his death anniversary, observed as Martyrs’ Day (Shaheed Diwas), at the historic Ridge Ground, Shimla. After paying homage, the Congress leaders observed a two-hour fast from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm in protest against the renaming and dilution of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Interacting with media persons, the Chief Minister said that the BJP-led Union Government has not only changed the name of MGNREGA but has also undermined the very spirit of the scheme. He stated that earlier the scheme provided employment opportunities, especially to the youth and women in rural areas, but employment avenues are now being curtailed.
Sukhu said that previously village pradhans had the powers to undertake works such as road construction under 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.
The Chief Minister further said that for the past 20 years, MGNREGA had guaranteed employment and also provided for an unemployment allowance if work was not offered. He said that today’s two-hour fast was organized to protest against the systematic dismantling of the scheme. He pointed out that earlier the Union Government use to bear 100 percent of the expenditure under MGNREGA, but it has now been changed to a 90:10 funding pattern, which would adversely affect the interests of Himachal Pradesh.
Responding to a query regarding the reduction of import duty on apples, the Chief Minister said that he had raised the issue of lowering import duty on apples from New Zealand in his previous meeting with Union Minister Piyush Goyal. He said that any reduction in import duty would seriously harm apple growers of Himachal Pradesh. On this issue, the Union Minister has asked the State Government to send a team of officers and orchardists from Himachal Pradesh, after which the Union Government will examine and discuss all aspects of the matter, he said.
