Sharmila flays Naidu, Jagan over MGNREGA scrapping

Kondapi/Markapuram: AndhraPradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president YS Sharmila Reddy continued her Upaadi Haami Parirakshana Yatra (MGNREGA Protection Tour) in Prakasam and Markapur districts on Friday, addressing villagers in Pakala and Tummala Cheruvu about the deteriorating state of the employment guarantee scheme.

Sharmila accused the Union government of systematically dismantling the MGNREGA, which originated from former CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s vision in 2006. She criticised the newly introduced VB- G RAM G Act, calling it an illegal measure that places a financial burden on states and undermines village self-governance. Under the new law, she observed, the states must bear 40 percent of the costs, amounting to an annual burden of Rs 5000 crore for Andhra Pradesh.

The APCC chief pointed out that while the original scheme guaranteed 100 days of work, the current government fails to provide even 52 days on average. She dismissed the promise of 125 days as deceptive, noting that 18.50 lakh job cards were deleted this year alone. The new scheme allegedly hands over work to contractors and increases daily working hours from 6 to 12.

Sharmila criticised both Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for supporting Modi’s legislation and YSRCP leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for remaining silent on the issue. She called them slaves to the BJP and declared Congress as the only genuine opposition fighting for people’s welfare.