Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh-
Supporting the resolution moved in the Punjab Legislative Assembly today under the leadership of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann against the new law replacing the MGNREGA Act, Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh E.T.O. said that abolishing the MGNREGA scheme is an attempt to deprive the poor of their means of livelihood.
He said the Central Government is acting against the principles of federalism by encroaching upon the rights of the States. The recent disputes over BBMB (Bhakra Beas Management Board), Panjab University, and Chandigarh stand as clear examples of this trend.The Minister added that the Central Government, under various pretexts, has been trying to weaken and curtail the powers of the State Governments.Referring to the Constitution, he said that it contains detailed provisions regarding Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles.
He further mentioned that through the 73rd Amendment in 1993, 29 subjects were transferred to village panchayats. Building on that framework, MGNREGA was introduced, enabling village panchayats to plan and execute works based on local needs, with funds allocated accordingly for rural development. But under the new law, panchayats will lose their ability to operate independently or frame policies according to their needs, making it difficult to implement the Right to Work effectively.
The Minister said that the Government of India Act, 1935, represented a confrontational form of federalism, whereas the Constitution’s architect, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, envisaged cooperative federalism. However, the present Central Government seems determined to reimpose the spirit of the 1935 Act in an indirect way. He alleged that the Centre is fostering a politics of conflict between the Union and the States.
He further pointed out that the new law is anti-Dalit in nature since around 73% of MGNREGA workers belong to the Dalit community.