Chandigarh, 1 minute ago

A special session of the Punjab Legislative Assembly has been convened today over the Centre’s move to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme. The session will begin at 11 a.m.

Ahead of the session, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs Manvinder Singh Gyaspura and Jaswant Singh Gajjanmajra arrived at the Assembly carrying bundles of letters written by MGNREGA workers. Labourers have also been invited to come and watch the special session’s proceedings.

At the end of the session, a proposal related to MGNREGA will be tabled. The key demands include retaining MGNREGA as a scheme with 100% Central funding, instead of the current 60% Centre and 40% State funding pattern, and ensuring that the right to 100 days of employment is not curtailed.

Opposition Leader Pratap Singh Bajwa said nothing substantive would come out of the session, calling it a “drama” and a waste of Punjab’s money. He alleged that the BJP’s ideology is against Mahatma Gandhi, and questioned the Chief Minister, saying that when the present government came to power, Mahatma Gandhi’s photograph was removed from offices. He claimed that today Gandhi’s photo is not seen in Punjab government offices.

Bajwa further alleged that while the government talks about providing 100 days of employment under MGNREGA, workers received an average of only 27 days of work during the current government’s tenure.

At the beginning of the session, tributes will be paid to the unparalleled martyrdom of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s four Sahibzadas. Condolences will also be offered for the passing of former Punjab Governor Shivraj Chauhan, former minister Jagtar Singh Multani, former Minister of State Tara Singh Ladla, and former MLA Tarlochan Singh, all of whom passed away recently. A total of nine reports will be presented in the House during the session.