In a letter sent to the Union rural development secretary, B K Sinha, they have expressed dissatisfaction over the decision to make UID compulsory for extending NREGA benefits in Mysore saying that the decision is unfair, illegal and dangerous.
The letter signed by developmental economist and member, national advisory council, Jean Dreze, along with members of the committee appointed by the Union rural development ministry to look into the implementation of NREGA in Bokaro and Latehar, has drawn the attention of the department to the fact that NREGA work is a universal entitlement, subject to a broad eligibility criteria. Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey and national activists Abhay Kumar of Grameen Coolie Karmikara Sangathan, Karnataka, Reetika Khera of IIT Delhi and R Balasubramanyam of Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement, Mysore, were the other signatories.
"The criteria cannot be modified arbitrarily. Innocuous as it may seem, restricting eligibility to UID holders would create a dangerous precedent, aside from being objectionable in itself," the letter read.
The activists had raised similar concerns in December 2010 when the Union rural development ministry invited tenders. The tender issued by the ministry on October 11, 2010, had invited applications to engage service providers for MGNREGA under the PPP model.
Khera said the scope of tender and provisions of contract included UID-compliant enrollment of job card holders for MNREGA.
The letter further pointed out the dangers of a hasty imposition of UID on NREGA.