Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 8 Jan: BJP today accused Congress national in-charge Kumari Selja of spreading lies and confusion on the proposed rural employment scheme. The BJP also added that Congress is vitiating the state’s atmosphere over the Ankita Bhandari case, with the public watching everything.
State president and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt stated that the issue is not about the soul of MGNREGA but about the corrupt intentions of the Congress party failing to succeed. The new scheme guarantees more employment than during the MGNREGA, along with financial availability, transparent payments in minimum time and employment guarantee days. He said Congress is spoiling the state’s atmosphere, and the intentions of its in-charge have been exposed again through her statements.
Reacting to media questions based on the allegations levelled by the Congress in-charge, Bhatt claimed that Congress is spreading confusion by staying miles away from the truth. He asserted that those who were crying yesterday over removing Gandhi’s name from MGNREGA are now shedding tears over the death of MGNREGA’s soul. However, the full truth of the VB-Ram Ji scheme was completely clarified during extensive discussions in Parliament as well. Since long, there has been a felt need to bring about radical changes in the MGNREGA scheme to make it more effective, practical, and corruption-free. The new scheme ensures 125 days of employment guarantee, more than before. The budget allocation has now been increased to one-and-a-half lakh crore compared to earlier. Similarly, the scheme is being fully digitised by linking it with PM Gati Shakti to eliminate any scope for corruption. Employment payments will now be made within 15 days, failing which interest will be added, and unemployment allowance will be provided if work is not available.
Bhatt added that this rural employment scheme is now directly linked to development. It focuses not just on employment but on creating sustainable rural infrastructure, water security, and permanent livelihood sources to promote rural entrepreneurship—not like the Congress governments’ model of turning it into a medium for corruption. Administrative reforms have been introduced, with administrative expenses increased to 9 per cent to enhance transparency and accountability at the grassroots level.
Countering the Congress in-charge’s allegations, he retorted that she cares neither for Gandhi’s name nor for the soul of MGNREGA. Rather, the new format of the scheme has closed all avenues for corruption in their state governments, which is why her conscience is pricking her.
Describing the Congress in-charge’s statement on the Ankita murder as unfortunate, Bhatt highlighted Congress’s double standards on the CBI. The party considers it a central stooge agency yet demands investigation from it. CM Dhami has spoken to the victim’s family and sought their opinion, which holds no importance for the Congress president. He reminded that reports are emerging of videos being made under pressure from those levelling accusations. Congress should apologise for all the false allegations it has made so far. The government is seeking legal opinion in the matter, and the investigation is ongoing, but the negative atmosphere created by Congress over the case is being witnessed by the public, who will not forgive the party.
