Central move to tweak MGNREGA
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 19: Members of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Friday staged a protest outside the BJP state office here, opposing the Centre’s proposed Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAMG), which seeks to replace the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
During the protest, Congress workers raised slogans and displayed placards, accusing the BJP-led NDA government of attempting to dismantle a constitutionally backed employment guarantee that has provided livelihood security to millions of rural households across the country.
Addressing reporters, MPCC general secretary Manuel Badwar said the agitation was aimed at sending a strong message, particularly to village communities in Meghalaya, about what he described as the far-reaching consequences of the proposed changes.
He alleged that the move goes well beyond a mere renaming of the scheme.
“This is an attack on a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution of India — the right to employment,” Badwar said, adding that the reported discontinuation of MGNREGS and its conversion into a new framework would fundamentally alter rural employment in the country.
He warned that under the proposed law, villages would lose the guaranteed right to work, and the assurance of 100 days of employment would no longer be mandatory. Instead, employment would depend on government discretion and availability of funds.
“This reverses accountability. The pressure will no longer be on the government to provide jobs, but on the people to seek favour,” Badwar said, cautioning that such a system could make communities vulnerable to political influence and selective implementation.
The MPCC leader further alleged that the proposed shift could turn rural employment into a political tool used to reward or punish communities. “In the end, it is the public that will suffer. Families who depended on guaranteed employment will be left without livelihood security,” he added.
Highlighting the potential impact on Meghalaya, Badwar said a large number of households in the state depend heavily on rural employment schemes. He warned that the loss of income security could force families to withdraw children from schools, push them into labour, increase exploitation, and lead to a sharp fall in rural wages.
He also accused the BJP of ignoring the social and economic consequences of the move, terming it an act of political vendetta not only against the Congress but also against Mahatma Gandhi, whose vision inspired the MGNREGS.
Badwar cautioned that reduced livelihood options could drive families into the clutches of moneylenders, trapping them in long-term cycles of debt. Calling for wider resistance, he urged civil society organisations, non-governmental groups, and political parties to oppose the proposed changes.
“Meghalaya is one of the economically weaker states with a low per capita income. Employment guarantees are critical for rural survival. Protecting the livelihood and dignity of village communities is not optional — it is essential,” he said.
Meanwhile, MPCC social media department chairman Lang Kupar War said the issue was not merely about a change of name but about the very essence of what Mahatma Gandhi stood for. He said the Congress, like Gandhi, stands for the poor, the underprivileged, and the most marginalised sections of society.
“It is for this reason that MGNREGA was enacted as a law. In the last 20 years, millions of people have benefited from this Act,” War said.
Referring to the Covid-19 pandemic, War pointed out that MGNREGS played a crucial role in supporting labourers who lost access to the job market. “The scheme helped the most when people needed it the most,” he said.
“I would like to ask what will happen if a natural disaster strikes again. Is there any other law that will protect the poor and marginalised sections of society?” War added.
