Minister writes to Union Rural Development Minister
Hyderabad: Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Dansari Anasuya (Seethakka) on Saturday urged the central government to withdraw the VB G RAM G Act, which is scheduled to be implemented from July 1. In a letter to Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the minister also demanded that the central government restore the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), which she termed as a rights-based law.
Demands for restoration of rights and panchayat authority
Later, speaking to reporters, Seethakka said that in her letter to the Union minister, she reiterated the Telangana government's demand for withdrawal of the G RAM G Act, restoration of the right to work, and reviving the authority of panchayats. She stated, "From the state government side, we have also made a few suggestions and raised some objections, against the backdrop of the central government wanting to implement the Act from July 1. We opposed the proposed fund allocation methodology as well as mandatory 60-day employment holiday."
Background and implications
The Gram G Ram Act, if implemented, would replace existing provisions in rural development schemes. The Telangana government argues that the Act undermines the rights-based nature of MGNREGS and reduces the autonomy of panchayats. The minister's objections highlight concerns over fund allocation and the mandatory 60-day employment holiday, which she claims would adversely affect rural workers.
