Hyderabad, Jan.13 (RAHNUMA): Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Tuesday lashed out at Congress leaders for opposing the Centre’s newly introduced ‘VB-G Ram-G employment guarantee scheme’, calling their objections ‘despicable politics’.
Addressing a press conference at Tridha Hotel in Karimnagar, Sanjay said the scheme would create ‘permanent village assets’ while ensuring 125 days of guaranteed work, besides providing relief to farmers facing labour shortages during peak agricultural seasons. He noted that the Centre would spend an additional Rs.17,000 crore nationwide, with *Telangana receiving Rs.340 crore more than last year. He criticised the Congress for creating a controversy over the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the employment scheme, stating that the governments’ changing scheme names was not new. “The Congress itself renamed the Vajpayee-era VAMBAY housing scheme as Indira Gandhi Awas Yojana and rechristened NTR Airport as Rajiv Gandhi International Airport”, he pointed out.
Sanjay said the existing employment scheme, despite an annual expenditure of Rs.86,000 crore, failed to generate durable assets, with works limited to repetitive activities. In contrast, the new statutory VB-G Ram-G scheme would involve an annual outlay of Rs.1.51 lakh crore, with the Centre contributing Rs.95,692 crore and states Rs.55,589 crore. States would have the power to exempt works for up to 60 days during agricultural seasons, ensuring no disruption to farming or labour livelihoods. “On an average, nearly 200 days of employment will be available annually”, he noted.
To improve implementation, administrative funds have been increased from 6% to 9%, and works will be finalised through ‘Gram Sabhas’, allowing villagers to decide on asset creation. “The Centre will guide, not supervise”, he clarified.
Questioning Congress’ opposition to the scheme, Sanjay asked whether the party wanted Telangana to forgo the additional funds. “Is asset creation wrong? Is helping farmers wrong?” he asked.
On district reorganisation, Sanjay accused former CM KCR of acting arbitrarily, alleging districts were created like ‘family property’ for his relatives. He warned the Congress government against repeating the same mistake and demanded an immediate all-party meeting and public consultation on the issue.
