Congress MP Kumari Selja Criticizes Central Government's MGNREGA Changes
Sirsa MP Kumari Selja, speaking at Congress-organized protests in Fatehabad and other locations on Saturday, declared that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is far more than just a government scheme. She emphasized that over the past two decades, it has served as a vital lifeline for crores of families across rural India, significantly strengthening the economic foundation of the poor, workers, farmers, and the broader rural economy.
Allegations of Weakening Legal Rights and Autonomy
Selja expressed deep concern over recent modifications introduced by the central government to the MGNREGA framework. She argued that these changes are systematically eroding the legal rights of rural workers, particularly their entitlement to demand employment and receive guaranteed minimum wages. Furthermore, she highlighted that the role of gram panchayats is being diminished, undermining local governance structures.
The Congress leader pointed to several specific issues:
- Increased complexities in digital verification processes that hinder access.
- Persistent delays in the payment system, causing financial distress.
- Inadequate budget allocations that fail to meet rising demand.
- Excessive centralization of administrative control, which contradicts the scheme's decentralized spirit.
Impact on Livelihoods and Dignity During Crises
Reflecting on the Covid-19 pandemic, Selja noted that MGNREGA provided crucial economic support to millions of families during those challenging times. However, she lamented that the same scheme is now being weakened, which adversely affects both the livelihood and dignity of poor workers. She stressed that earlier, gram panchayats had the authority to plan and execute development works in their villages, thereby generating local employment. Now, decisions are being imposed from the top, eroding panchayat autonomy and ignoring specific local needs.
Congress's Demands for Restoration and Reform
On behalf of the Congress party, Kumari Selja outlined clear demands to address these concerns:
- Fully restore the legal guarantee of employment under MGNREGA.
- Immediately withdraw all adverse changes made to the scheme.
- Ensure timely payment of dignified minimum wages to all workers.
- Reinstate the rights and authority of gram panchayats in planning and implementation.
- Increase the MGNREGA budget allocation to provide adequate employment opportunities for those in need.
Selja's statements underscore a growing political debate over rural welfare policies, with the Congress positioning itself as a defender of workers' rights and local self-governance against what it perceives as central overreach.
