Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah supported Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s worries about the Viksit Bharat – Grameen Rozgar and Migration Guarantee Act (VB-G RAM G), calling it politically significant. Siddaramaiah highlighted that Naidu’s concerns, particularly regarding the altered funding pattern and increased state burden, hold importance due to his alliance with the BJP. This development reveals a rift within the NDA and questions the BJP’s defense of the law, which opposition parties have criticized for shifting financial responsibility to states.
These concerns raised by a BJP ally like Naidu underscore a significant shift from the earlier stance, where objections to the VB-G RAM G Act were dismissed as mere political criticism. The contrast between the new Act and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is evident, with the former lacking the statutory guarantee of funds that the latter provided. Siddaramaiah emphasized that the shift to a negotiation-based funding model poses risks, indicating a move away from guaranteed financial support based on law to a more politically influenced allocation process.
Siddaramaiah stressed the need for transparency and open dialogue in addressing concerns over the new framework, advocating for the repeal of the VB-G RAM G Act and the restoration of the MGNREGA Act with necessary improvements. He emphasized the importance of maintaining cooperative federalism through assured funding and equal treatment of all states, rather than through uncertain financial arrangements influenced by political dynamics. The reported developments highlight the urgency for a reevaluation of the rural jobs law and a return to a more secure and equitable employment framework.
