Date:19/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/19/stories/2004121902571000.htm

National

"Centre diluting Employment Guarantee Bill"

By Our Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 18. The United Progressive Alliance Government today came under criticism for "sabotaging" the National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill by diluting its provisions.

Speaking at a function to mark the death anniversary of the Communist Party of India (ML) leader, Vinod Mishra, here, economist Jean Dreze alleged that there was an attempt within the Government to "dilute" the provisions of the Bill. While the draft, approved by the National Advisory Council (NAC), made it applicable across the country, it would be implemented in the notified areas with no guarantee for minimum wages.

"We have to reverse this process in the coming months before the Bill is passed in Parliament," Mr. Dreze, an NAC member, said.

The initial draft came from the people's movement in Rajasthan but the present one is a totally Government initiative, Mr. Dreze said, adding that it appeared that the UPA had made the promise of guaranteed employment when it did not think it would come to power. Now that it has, and the Employment Guarantee Act is a priority in the National Common Minimum Programme attempts are being made to dilute it.

Different yardstick

Mr. Dreze's said the Bill had been made "poor-centric" and the yardsticks for identifying the "poor" were those adopted for the Below Poverty Line. Whereas, "the fundamental principle of the Employment Guarantee Act envisaged by us all was to make it a universal act and not restrict to just the poor households."

Calling upon the labour class to come together to check the dilution of the Bill before it is passed in Parliament, Mr. Dreze suggested that the opportunity should be used as a second chance for the labour movement.

Expressing unhappiness over linking the Bill with the BPL concept, Indira Jaisingh, Supreme Court lawyer, said that there should be greater transparency and accountability in the scheme. Confining employment to one member of the family would deprive women of employment, as men would be given preference in a household. She also elaborated on the shortfalls and misuse of the Employment Guarantee Act of Maharashtra.

No minimum wages

The former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court and human rights activist, Rajender Sachar, said it was surprising that the Government was not guaranteeing any minimum wages for the employees under the scheme.

Others who spoke at the seminar on "Employment, Rights of the Working People and Democracy" included jurist Colin Gonsalves, political analyst Paranjay Guha Thakurta and the CPI(ML) general secretary, Dipankar Bhattacharya.