Taking a tough line on the face-off between the Centre and the State over MGNREGS, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Saturday sought to know from the UPA government whether the implementation of the rural job scheme in Uttar Pradesh should be stopped.
Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh addressed a press conference on behalf of Ms. Mayawati.
Referring to the missives sent to her by Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, Ms. Mayawati wanted to know whether similar practices had been adopted in other States as well, considering that the programme was being implemented in the entire country.
She asked whether the other States were being “harassed” and “needled” in a similar manner by the Centre. Indicating that the war of words on the rural job scheme was a poll-eve gimmick (of the Congress), Ms. Mayawati said a “surcharged atmosphere” was being created deliberately.
