Sultanpur (UP), Jan 10 (NationPress) Approximately 2.89 crore names of voters have been removed from the draft electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Uttar Pradesh. In response, the leading opposition party, the Samajwadi Party, has criticized the government. UP Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar has directed his comments towards the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party regarding this issue.

While addressing the media, Rajbhar stated, "Akhilesh ji is an educated individual. He is fully aware that he will not regain power. His tenure as Chief Minister was made possible through the efforts of his father and uncle. It is common knowledge that around 86 lakh voters statewide have been marked as deceased. If their names remain on the voters’ list, how can they be preserved? Only Akhilesh could potentially resurrect them from the afterlife; it is not within our capabilities."

He continued, "Likewise, around 2.23 lakh voters have transitioned from rural areas to urban centers and have established residency there. These individuals have registered their names in both the village and urban voter lists. The Election Commission mandates that a voter can only be registered at one location. Now, Akhilesh can elucidate to the Election Commission why voters' names should be maintained at both sites."

In his remarks, Rajbhar commended the Viksit Bharat-G RAM G scheme, labeling it a reform-centric initiative. He remarked, "MGNREGA has been rebranded as ‘Viksit Bharat–G RAM G’ with the goal of transforming it from a mere rural employment and welfare initiative into a development-linked guarantee that aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047."

He elaborated that the Act is designed to modernize rural employment and rectify the previous shortcomings of MGNREGA. "It emphasizes technology-driven transparency, robust accountability, sustainable resources, and enduring rural productivity. The guaranteed employment for every rural family has been increased from 100 days to 125 days. Additionally, 60 days have been allocated for farming households, securing a total of 185 days of work, which is now a legally defined right," he stated.

Furthermore, the minister mentioned that employment has been categorized into four sectors: water security, rural infrastructure, livelihood assets, and climate protection. "The interests of farmers have been safeguarded. If employment is not provided within 15 days of application submission, the individual is entitled to an unemployment allowance," Rajbhar concluded.