Karnataka Cabinet decides to initiate legal action against VB–G RAM G scheme

Bengaluru: The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday discussed the withdrawal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) by the Union government and has decided to initiate legal action against the newly introduced VB–G RAM G scheme, state Tourism, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil said.

Briefing the media on the decisions taken in the cabinet meeting, Patil said it has been decided to take the new scheme to the people’s court as well. After the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, decentralisation was strengthened in the country, but this scheme strikes at the very foundation of decentralisation. By withdrawing MGNREGA, the Union government has taken away the employment rights of rural people, he alleged.

He said MGNREGA enabled asset creation through panchayats, whereas the new “draconian law” forces labourers to work on national highway projects being executed by contractors. The Union government has shown no concern for the welfare of labourers and has instead snatched away their right to employment, he said.

Earlier, panchayats had the authority to decide what works were to be taken up in villages. Now, that power has been completely taken away, and the Centre will issue directions on where and what work should be carried out, he alleged. The Karnataka government strongly opposes this “draconian legislation” and will fight it politically, legally, and in the people’s court, he said.

Though it is being claimed that 125 days of work will be provided, there is no clarity on how this will be ensured, Patil said, questioning where the funds would come from. He said state governments would have to bear around 40 per cent of the cost, which would impose a huge financial burden. If such a burden is to be imposed, the Centre should have consulted the states, but it did not, he alleged. He said the scheme was introduced after the implementation of the 15th Finance Commission’s recommendations.

Patil also said the cabinet has decided to hold panchayat elections at the earliest. Several panchayats have urged the state government to approach the Supreme Court on the issue. A decision in this regard will be taken within a day or two, he said.

The cabinet has approved the premature release of 33 life convicts lodged in various central prisons across the state on the basis of good conduct. Of these, it has been decided to release two convicts only after obtaining the consent of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, he said.

The cabinet has decided to allot 10 guntas of land in Survey No. 2.2.39 in the Sirwar limits of Sirwar taluk in Raichur district to the “Congress Bhavan Trust, Bengaluru” for the construction of a Congress Bhavan.

The cabinet has also approved the issuance of “A-Khata” to “B-Khata” sites, buildings, apartments and flats located in layouts formed without the approval of the competent authority within the limits of urban local bodies across the state.

Patil said the scheme would cover around 10 lakh properties.

The Cabinet has further decided to implement the “Akka Pada” scheme in coordination with the Home Department across 31 districts and five police commissionerates in the state.

IANS