"MGNREGA is the soul of poor labourers": AICC National Media Coordinator-West Bengal Mahima Singh

Speaking to ANI in Kolkata, she said, "MGNREGA is not just a scheme which can be bulldozed in the shortest winter session of the Parliament, it is the soul of the poor labourers of the nation...Now the funding ratio has been increased to a 60:40 split between the Centre and states...We will be launching an agitation against the VB-G RAM G scheme."

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the campaign would be launched in response to what he termed the Centre's attempt to weaken a landmark welfare law that guarantees employment to rural households.

Speaking to media representatives at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, the Chief Minister expressed concern over the central government's decision and emphasised the importance of preserving the original scheme named after Mahatma Gandhi.

In a post on X, Siddaramaiah wrote, "At today's Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting at Indira Bhawan, New Delhi, we unanimously condemned the Union Government's anti-federal and anti-national move to weaken the very spirit of the Employment Guarantee Programme by changing the name and structure of MGNREGA."He also mentioned that the meeting focused on upcoming poll preparations, developing strategies to prevent vote theft, and addressing the country's significant challenges.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge echoed similar sentiments, announcing that the party would launch a nationwide movement from January 5 to protect the scheme. Speaking to the media, Kharge said that party leaders took an oath during the meeting to protect MNREGA and oppose any attempt to weaken or alter the scheme."In the meeting, we took an oath. We decided to launch a massive movement across the country, making the MNREGA scheme the central point. Indian National Congress party, taking a leading role, will launch the MNREGA Save Campaign from January 5th," Kharge said.

On December 21, President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to the VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025, which replaced MGNREGA. The Act enhances the statutory wage employment guarantee to 125 days per financial year for rural households. It seeks to advance empowerment, inclusive growth, convergence of development initiatives and saturation-based delivery, thereby strengthening the foundation for a prosperous, resilient and self-reliant Rural Bharat. (ANI)