Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Dansari Anasuya (Seethakka) urged the Centre to withdraw the proposed VB GRAM G Act and restore the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) as a rights-based law.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Minister Dansari Anasuya said she had written three separate letters to Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, reiterating the State government’s primary demand for withdrawal of the VB GRAM G Act, restoration of the Right to Work and reinstatement of the authority of Panchayats. At the same time, she said, the State had placed before the Centre a set of suggestions and objections, considering that the Union government was proceeding with the legislation.

The Minister opposed the proposed fund allocation methodology as well as mandatory 60-day employment holiday.