MGNREGA was transformative law, its substitute a flaw: Congress
New Delhi (PTI): Hitting out at the Modi government, the Congress on Monday said MGNREGA was a transformative law while the new scheme brought by the Centre that "bulldozed it away" is a "flaw".
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said exactly 20 years ago today, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) was launched at Badnapalli village in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.
"Over the years, it has provided 180 crore days of work to rural households (especially women), created an estimated 10 crore community assets, significantly reduced distress migration, empowered gram panchayats, and decisively increased the bargaining power of the rural poor for higher wages," Ramesh said on X.
It also launched the direct benefit transfer initiative to credit wages directly into bank and post office accounts, he said.
Individual small and marginal farmers were able to establish irrigation facilities like digging wells on their own lands, the Congress leader said.
MGNREGA was a demand-based legal guarantee and not just an administrative promise, Ramesh asserted.
"It was a right derived from Article 41 of the Constitution. Work was allocated when demanded by citizens and was made available anywhere in rural India. Projects were decided upon by the local Gram Panchayat, and the State Government having to pay only 10% of the overall costs was incentivised to provide work without having to bear significant costs," he said.
Social audits through the Gram Sabha and high-level audits through the CAG were conducted regularly, Ramesh pointed out.
He further claimed that Modi Government's new law guarantees only centralisation in New Delhi.
Work will now be notified in certain districts by the Modi government, he added.
"Work will be provided based on the Government's allocated budget rather than on citizen demand. The scheme will stop altogether for two months every year during peak agricultural activities - a big blow to workers' bargaining power who won't be able to negotiate better wages for agricultural work," Ramesh said.
The panchayat has been sidelined, and projects will be determined by the Modi government according to its priorities, he said.
Finally, states will now have to bear 40% of the costs given their financial stress, they will not be able to do so and will stop providing work altogether, he opined.
"MGNREGA was a transformative law. The Modi government's new scheme that bulldozed it away is a flaw," Ramesh said.
Ramesh also shared a photo from 20 years ago when Cheemala Pedakka, a Dalit woman from Badnapalli, became the first job card holder under MGNREGA.
The Union government's Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (VB-G RAM G), was passed by both houses amid opposition uproar and received presidential assent in December 2025, effectively replacing MGNREGA after two decades.
Under the new law, the statutory guarantee of employment was increased on paper from 100 to 125 days per rural household each year, and changes were made in funding patterns, planning mechanisms and implementation structures.
Opposition parties have argued the new law dilutes the rights-based nature of MGNREGA, increases centralisation of power, and saddles states with greater financial responsibilities, potentially weakening the original legal entitlement to work.
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Karnataka Muslim Convention to be held in Bengaluru on May 16
Muslim organisations to release report on Congress govt’s three-year performance
Bengaluru: Major Muslim organisations and federations in Karnataka have decided to organise a large public convention titled ‘Karnataka Muslim Convention’ at Town Hall in Bengaluru on May 16. During the convention, a comprehensive report reviewing the three-year performance of the Congress government under the theme “What did the Congress government promise? What did it do? What next?” will be released.
According to a statement issued on Friday, no politicians will be invited to the convention. The report will be submitted to the government and all MLAs after the event.
The convention is being held at a time when the Congress government is nearing the completion of three years in office on May 20. Muslim organisations have expressed dissatisfaction, alleging that despite extending strong support to the Congress in bringing it to power, the community is being neglected.
The Convention is being organised at time when there are concerns over inadequate political representation for Muslims, alleged neglect of community demands, and the suspension of senior Muslim leaders who had worked for the party for decades.
The organisers said the convention aims to raise questions on what the Congress government has delivered so far and what further steps are expected from the government.
The decision to hold the convention was taken during a meeting held on May 6 at A J International Hotel in Shivajinagar, Bengaluru. Representatives of major Muslim organisations, associations, ulema bodies, federations, and members of the ad hoc committee of Karnataka Rajya Muslim Okkoota attended the meeting.
More than 75 representatives and delegates, including senior ulemas, jamaat leaders, lawyers, retired officials, journalists and members of the KRMO ad hoc committee, participated in the discussions.
Members of the KRMO ad hoc committee’s report preparation team and experts from different sectors presented a detailed report on the Congress government’s three-year performance. The report examined promises made to Muslims on ten major issues, the extent to which they were fulfilled, pending promises, alleged discrimination in representation, and the demands now being placed before the government.
The report covered issues such as the hijab ban, reservation cancellation, hate speech and hate crimes, budget allocation, political representation, waqf matters, the anti-cow slaughter law, anti-conversion law, scholarships and educational grants.
Participants offered suggestions and recommendations on various points, and necessary corrections to the report were accepted after detailed discussions.
The meeting also reportedly expressed strong dissatisfaction over the manner in which the Congress government has treated the Muslim community. Participants are said to have opined that if the government and the Congress party continue in the same manner, the community should keep its political options open.
It was later decided that the report would be officially released at the large public convention on May 16 under the title “Karnataka Muslim Convention – What did the Congress government promise? What did it do? What next?”
The organisers appealed to people from all districts of the state to participate in large numbers and send a strong message to the government and the Congress party through the convention.
They also decided that all organisations, jamaats and associations should work towards ensuring participation from every district in Karnataka.
The statement reiterated that no politicians would be invited to the May 16 convention and that the report on the Congress government’s three-year performance would be submitted to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, ministers and MLAs after the event.
