CHANDIGARH, Sept 26 — Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema asserted that recent administrative shifts within the central rural job framework have directly reduced employment access for poor and Dalit households across India.
The AAP leader maintained that latest performance metrics validate initial concerns raised regarding the structural overhaul of the rural work guarantee. Citing statistical trends, he stated that total employment creation fell from 30 crore person-days in the preceding year to 20.4 crore person-days under the modified setup.
“Around 9.56 crore fewer person-days of employment had been generated through the scheme compared with the previous year… representing a massive reduction in employment available to rural workers,” the Minister declared.
He added that with marginalized communities comprising the vast majority of the rural workforce, restricting project components directly harms daily wage earners. “The BJP had come to power promising to increase employment under the scheme to 125 days, but instead of increasing work opportunities, the government has reduced the number of person-days available to workers,” Cheema stated.
The Finance Minister affirmed that modifying statutory components has weakened rural social security, declaring that public policy must prioritize sustainable livelihood protections over restrictive administrative changes.
