Congress plans protests seeking restoration of MGNREGA

In response to a call given by the All India Congress Committee (AICC), State-wide protests would be staged with alliance parties and people’s organisations in support of the demand for immediate restoration of the MGNREGA, said APCC president Y.S. Sharmila on Wednesday.

In a post on X, Ms. Sharmila asserted that Andhra Pradesh was the birthplace of MGNREGA, with the scheme taking shape and achieving outstanding success under former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR).

“Launched in the State in 2006, the employment guarantee programme became a national model for drought relief, rural development, livelihood security, prevention of migration and enhancement of rural purchasing power,” she said, adding that “over the past 20 years, Andhra Pradesh is said to have received nearly ₹1 lakh crore, providing employment to about 1 crore people annually, which is credited to the Congress-enacted NREGA law.”

Ms. Sharmila criticised the BJP-led NDA government for “diluting and undermining” MGNREGA through policy changes and a new framework referred to as the VBG RAMJI Act.

“The original law guaranteed 100 days of employment as a legal right, with gram sabhas deciding works and the Centre fully funding wages, whereas the new system centralises decisions, limits work to selected areas, reduces employment to 60 days, shifts 40% of the financial burden to States, and encourages contractor-driven projects,” she said.

Describing the new framework as “anti-poor and destructive to Gram Swaraj,” she demanded immediate withdrawal of the new framework and restoration of the original MGNREGA.