Date:25/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/25/stories/2004122505871100.htm

National

Venkaiah criticises Employment Guarantee Bill

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 24. The Bharatiya Janata Party is planning to campaign throughout the country for diluting its election promise to guarantee employment for at least one hand in every Indian household.

The former BJP president, Venkaiah Naidu, today said it was a "great betrayal'' by the Congress and what has finally been introduced in Parliament, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill, would neither help remove poverty nor make a dent on unemployment.

Expectations of the people were raised, as this was the single most important promise made by the Congress. It was also included in the Common Minimum Programme of the United Progressive Alliance Government.

"The Bill that has been introduced is full of ifs and buts ... one estimate is that such a scheme would need Rs. 40,000 crores a year but the Government has not earmarked any funds, instead it seems to have passed the burden on to State Governments,'' Mr. Naidu said.

While the original promise was to include all poor rural and urban households as well as the lower middle-class families, the Bill has been restricted to cover only poor rural households in selected districts, Mr. Naidu said.

"There is no political will behind the Bill,'' Mr. Naidu said. He also objected to the move to send it to a select committee of Parliament, suggesting that the move may have everything to do with the fact that the BJP leader, Kalyan Singh, chairs the standing committee concerned.