New Delhi, Dec 22 : Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday sharply criticised the BJP-led Central government, accusing it of systematically dismantling the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and warning that its replacement could have “catastrophic consequences” for India’s rural population.
Her remarks came in the wake of Parliament passing the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) Bill, or VB-G RAM G Act, amid strong opposition protests. In an article for a leading national daily, Gandhi argued that MGNREGA, enacted in 2005 under the UPA as a rights-based law guaranteeing the constitutional right to work, was being undermined “without discussion, consultation, or respect for parliamentary processes.”
MGNREGA Under ‘Steady Erosion’
Sonia Gandhi described the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name as symbolic of a “deeper structural annihilation” of what she called the world’s largest social security programme. She alleged that the government pursued a “death by a thousand cuts” strategy, weakening the scheme through stagnant budgets, delayed wage payments, and the imposition of “disenfranchising technology” that rendered it increasingly ineffective on the ground.
The Congress, along with other Opposition parties, had demanded that the Bill be referred to a parliamentary standing committee or withdrawn. Despite these objections, the legislation was passed after Opposition MPs staged a walkout. The Bill subsequently received President Droupadi Murmu’s assent and became law on Sunday.
Key Concerns Highlighted
Gandhi emphasised that the new law replaces a statutory, demand-driven employment guarantee with a “bureaucratic, discretionary programme,” fundamentally changing rural employment support. She highlighted key issues, including:
Fixed budget caps replacing uncapped employment guarantees.
Year-round work potentially curtailed, with up to 60 “no-work” days during peak agricultural season.
States’ contribution to funding rising from 10% to 40%, placing pressure on already strained state finances.
Decentralised planning via gram sabhas and panchayats sidelined in favour of a top-down model under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan.
She also rejected the government’s claim of guaranteeing 125 days of employment, calling it “misleading and unachievable.”
MGNREGA’s Role in Rural India
Sonia Gandhi underscored MGNREGA’s importance in boosting rural wages, curbing distress migration, and strengthening local governance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she noted, it was one of the few mechanisms through which aid reached the poorest households. She further framed the overhaul as part of a broader attack on rights-based laws, including legislation on information, education, forest rights, and land acquisition.
“MGNREGA realised Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Sarvodaya and gave effect to the constitutional right to work. Its erosion is a collective moral failure, with financial and human consequences for millions of India’s working people,” she wrote, urging citizens and political actors to unite to safeguard rural employment rights.
Government Response
Following presidential assent to the VB-G RAM G Act, Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan defended the legislation as a “progressive step forward from MGNREGA.” He highlighted that the new programme:
Statutorily guarantees 125 days of employment, up from 100.
Strengthens provisions for unemployment allowances if work is unavailable.
Adds additional compensation for delayed wage payments.
The Union Minister asserted that the revamped law enhances both coverage and accountability, countering claims of undermining rural livelihoods.