‘No House debate on rural jobs Act, SIR’

The Union government on Tuesday rejected the Opposition’s demand to debate the ongoing Special Intensive Review (SIR) and the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) or VB-G RAM.

- Saubhadra Chatterji and Smriti Kak Ramachandran

G, in the budget session of Parliament, setting the stage for another confrontation.In an all-party meeting on Tuesday to set the broad agenda, the Congress, Left and some other Opposition parties sought a debate on the adverse impact of SIR and announced that they will continue to demand that the VB G Ram G Act, passed in the winter session, be replaced by the now-defunct Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju virtually rejected both the demands. Referring to the debate on electoral reforms in the winter session, Rijiju said, “Last time all parties demanded a debate on SIR. We expanded the scope and held a debate on electoral reforms. A thorough, marathon discussion took place. Opposition parties had exhausted their arguments. All MPs were given ample time. Another debate on the issue will be uncalled for.”