09-28-2007, 08:37 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Rahul grabs PM's agenda </b>
Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
Takes credit for NREG extension already announced by Manmohan
The scion of Nehru-Gandhi family and newly-appointed Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi seems to have already perfected the art of usurping the credit of Government's initiative for his personal image-building.Â
In a widely-publicised exercise on Wednesday, Rahul led a delegation of Congressmen to the Prime Minister's Office and submitted that the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREG) be extended to the entire country. The Act is in operation in 330 selected districts. The Congress leaders said that the Prime Minister had given them a favourable reply. They were quick to take the credit for the approval and fell over each other in praising Rahul for the success.
<b>Incidentally, the Prime Minister had already announced the Government's commitment to extend the scheme to the entire nation in his Independence Day speech. Singh had said: "This unprecedented expansion in social sector expenditure has enhanced the welfare of our people. Through the historic National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, we have made basic employment for 100 days a legal right. As a result, the poorest of our poor are now assured of minimum household income. Today half the country is covered by the programme. We are committed to implementing it across the entire country. We are confident that this social safety net will fulfil Gandhiji's dream of antyodaya -- our humble attempt to wipe the tears of the poor."</b>
The Pioneer had recently reported that the Rural Development Ministry had already decided to extend the NREG through the entire country from this year itself, but on Wednesday the PMO kept up the pretence of "considering" the proposal mooted by Rahul and his delegation.
This is not the first time that the credit of Singh's initiatives has gone to Congress president Sonia Gandhi or her son Rahul. Before the office of profit controversy which saw Sonia resign from the chairmanship of National Advisory Council (NAC), several decisions of the Government or proposals under consideration were easily attributed to her. <!--emo&
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Even in the recent controversy over Sethusamudram Canal project affidavit, Singh had stepped in immediately and done damage control. The day the affidavit was filed in the court, he had spoken to Law Minister HR Bhardwaj and suggested the future course of action. However, the credit went to Sonia for withdrawal of the Government's affidavit
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Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
Takes credit for NREG extension already announced by Manmohan
The scion of Nehru-Gandhi family and newly-appointed Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi seems to have already perfected the art of usurping the credit of Government's initiative for his personal image-building.Â
In a widely-publicised exercise on Wednesday, Rahul led a delegation of Congressmen to the Prime Minister's Office and submitted that the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREG) be extended to the entire country. The Act is in operation in 330 selected districts. The Congress leaders said that the Prime Minister had given them a favourable reply. They were quick to take the credit for the approval and fell over each other in praising Rahul for the success.
<b>Incidentally, the Prime Minister had already announced the Government's commitment to extend the scheme to the entire nation in his Independence Day speech. Singh had said: "This unprecedented expansion in social sector expenditure has enhanced the welfare of our people. Through the historic National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, we have made basic employment for 100 days a legal right. As a result, the poorest of our poor are now assured of minimum household income. Today half the country is covered by the programme. We are committed to implementing it across the entire country. We are confident that this social safety net will fulfil Gandhiji's dream of antyodaya -- our humble attempt to wipe the tears of the poor."</b>
The Pioneer had recently reported that the Rural Development Ministry had already decided to extend the NREG through the entire country from this year itself, but on Wednesday the PMO kept up the pretence of "considering" the proposal mooted by Rahul and his delegation.
This is not the first time that the credit of Singh's initiatives has gone to Congress president Sonia Gandhi or her son Rahul. Before the office of profit controversy which saw Sonia resign from the chairmanship of National Advisory Council (NAC), several decisions of the Government or proposals under consideration were easily attributed to her. <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> Even in the recent controversy over Sethusamudram Canal project affidavit, Singh had stepped in immediately and done damage control. The day the affidavit was filed in the court, he had spoken to Law Minister HR Bhardwaj and suggested the future course of action. However, the credit went to Sonia for withdrawal of the Government's affidavit
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