NEW DELHI: Ahead of the introduction decision of the United Progressive Alliance Government to introduce the National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, the Left parties have urged the Centre to make some changes in it to further strengthen the social security measure.

They suggested six points for the consideration of the Government: complete transfer of funds earmarked for the work to States latest by the second month of the financial year; one-third reservation for women in the allocation of work; spreading the 100 days work over a period of time; notifying minimum wages; give States the flexibility to choose public works since earthwork could not be carried on in all seasons; and have a penalty clause in case the Centre fails to transfer funds to the States.

Conveying the viewpoint of the Left parties, the delegation headed by West Bengal Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta said the suggestions came in the wake of certain "practical difficulties" these parties envisaged with regard to its implementation.

He said the Left parties strongly upheld the objective of employment generation and hoped the scheme would be successfully implemented.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) Parliamentary party leader, Basudeb Acharia said the party would not move any amendments since the Government was expected to take note of these concerns and make necessary changes in the Bill or incorporate them as rules. "We want the Bill to be enacted," he told The Hindu after a meeting of the CPI-M Parliamentary Party.

The Left parties would meet here on Wednesday to take a final view on the Bill. The CPI leader, S. Sudhakar Reddy said the party was keen to ensure that the recommendations made by the Standing Committee on Rural Development found place in the Bill. "We are given to understand that most of the 16 recommendations have been incorporated. We are yet to see the Bill and if we feel there is any need we would pressure the Government to incorporate it," he said. Of the 16 recommendations made by the Standing Committee, four points were echoed by the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, during her speech to the general body of the Congress Party in Parliament.

Besides Mr. Dasgupta and Mr. Acharia, the Left parties delegation included Nilotpal Basu, Brinda Karat, Hannan Mollah (CPI-M), C.K. Chandrappan (CPI), Debabrata Biswas (AIFB) and Manjo Bhattacharya (RSP).

Defence Minister and Leader of the Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh were present on the Government side.

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