Congress in a fix on how to encash NREGA

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Thursday, November 20, 2008

The grand old party, Congress, which in view of the forthcoming general elections moved into electoral exercise in all over India and Jharkhand too, feels that out of many programmes at least two programmes initiated by the party- National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and Panchyati Raj institution, would pay a good electoral dividends.

But situation is somewhat different in Jharkhand where the party feels it would be difficult to project NREGA as an achievement of the party, courtesy to rampant corruption in NREGA during the regime of erstwhile Madhu Koda as Chief Minister.

Even the senior leaders of the party accepted this fact in their private discourse that party failed to make a dent on the political dispensation of the State to check corruption in NREGA project. It even failed to deter the Government even though the State Congress had launched a series of stir against the State Government where in-charge State Congress Ajay Maken threatened to pull down the Government on this issue.

The party MLA Niel Tirkey said on this, "We are in a vulnerable situation as the performance of NREGA is quite dismal. Even today the party is not happy with the present UPA Government in Jharkhand which has not taken corrective measures to stop corruption in NREGA." The party has nothing to showcase about NREGA, he added.

The issue was repeatedly discussed at the party forum where it felt that it was difficult for the party to distance itself from the omission and commission of the past Government on NREGA since the Government was running due to the support of the party.

Now the party has adopted a different strategy to come out of this as party has decided to start a number of programmes to galvanize the public opinion in favour of NREGA. It would organise workers' rally in Palamu division on December 6-7.

The party has announced a set of programme - 'Rajiv Gandhi Panchyatiraj Sangathan' which is scheduled to be held on November 29. The sources said that the programme would focus upon the importance of NREGA.

Congress spokesperson Alok Kumar Dubey said, "We would try to make the people aware of the benefit of such programmes which unfortunately failed in Jharkhand."

The sources said that the party would not hesitate to raise hackle against the JMM if it fails to address the concern and interest of party on NREGA. In today's days development, the party appointed in-charge for 81 Assembly seats for the formation and coordination of women booth committees.