I am Shakti: MNREGA is the most expensive failure ever, says Maneka Gandhi
The minister highlighted that huge amount of funds involved in MNREGA scheme has resulted in use of money and alcohol in Sarpanch elections in order to win so as to control the MNREGA funds.
In one of her sharpest attacks on Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi called MNREGA, the flagship project of UPA-I, as the 'most expensive failure ever' of the previous government.
"There were schemes that were started which perhaps they felt might change India like MNREGA. MNREGA has proved to be the most expensive failures ever. They were improperly monitored and nobody was ever punished for stealing the money. It has not made anybody any richer. What it has done is to destroy cultural patterns and handicrafts down the line. It has made labour impossible to get. It has destroyed entire carpet and silk industry in Benaras," she said at the Mail Today I am Shakti Woman Safety Summit.
The minister highlighted that huge amount of funds involved in MNREGA scheme has resulted in use of money and alcohol in Sarpanch elections in order to win so as to control the MNREGA funds.
Panchayati Raj Institution, the personal imprimatur of the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, also came under attack by Maneka, who said the institution has not resulted in any woman leader reaching Parliament and has become a tool in the hands of powerful men to gain power.
"Before we go for reservation we need to look at it. Reservation needs to be done but what will you get at this time? you will get sisters, wives, mothers and perhaps even girlfriends but you will not get that kind of women who is a game changer," she said.
Talking about measurements taken by BJP government for safety of women, the minister said they are setting up one step crisis centre for women and will be launching a helpline number soon.
Commenting that she does not have an empirical evidence of Love Jihad, Maneka said there no cases have been reported to her ministry but she has heard of many cases of inter-religious marriages in her constituency. "I am a Member of Parliament and I have many cases of inter-religious marriages in my constituency. I don't know what this Love Jihad is. But I have many cases of inter-religious marriages and they seem to be getting more and more," she said.