Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 22 : Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav on Monday slammed the BJP government, alleging that under its rule, "hatred, inflation, unemployment, and corruption are increasing uncontrollably, while everything else is decreasing."
On the issue of MGNREGA, he questioned its survival under such circumstances on X post, claiming that "In BJP rule, hatred, inflation, unemployment, and corruption are increasing uncontrollably, while everything else is decreasing, so how can MGNREGA survive? That's why MGNREGA cards are being deleted. The Central government has washed its hands of the matter by shifting the additional burden of expenses onto the states. To put it bluntly, the BJP is anti-poor!"
Alongside his remarks on the social media platform X, Akhilesh Yadav shared an infographic highlighting the number of MGNREGA cards reportedly deleted across six states: Bihar: 1.04 crore, Uttar Pradesh: 90.4 lakh, Odisha: 41.6 lakh, Madhya Pradesh: 32.7 lakh, West Bengal: 24.2 lakh and Rajasthan: 10.5 lakh.
On December 16, Akhilesh Yadav criticised the VB-G Ram G Bill, claiming that the legislation will put "entire burden" on state governments.
Speaking to ANI, Akhilesh Yadav said that the 60:40 share of funds under the new Bill will create a tussle between the Centre and the states.
He also took a jibe at the Union government over the renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), saying the Centre is copying the Uttar Pradesh government.
He said, "Politics and schemes should be such that they benefit people. A large number of people used to get employment opportunities through MGNREGA. You will put the entire burden on State governments; states will pass it on to the Centre. Several states have still not received the funds for MGNREGA. The UP government is playing tricks with its data. State governments are doing manipulation. So, what do you want to do? How will the schemes resolve the issues of the CMs? They will create problems for the CMs and the State government."
"Renaming it won't make much of a difference. Government in Delhi (at the Centre) is copying the UP government; UP government holds the record for maximum renaming," the SP chief said.
The Parliament passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill on December 18, and it received the President's assent on December 21.
The law guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household, up from the existing 100 days, for adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work.
As per Section 22 of the law, the fund-sharing pattern between the Central Government and the State Governments will be 60:40, while for the North Eastern States, Himalayan States, and Union Territories (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir), it will be 90:10. Section 6 of the law allows the state governments to notify in advance, a period aggregating to sixty days in a financial year, covering the peak agricultural seasons of sowing and harvesting.