New Delhi, March 18 Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson and Rajya Sabha member Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday raised concerns over the weakening of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme.
Speaking during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, she accused the Central government of systematically undermining the scheme by reducing budgetary allocations.
"The budget allocation for MGNREGA has remained stagnant at Rs 86,000 crore, but in reality, it has decreased by Rs 4,000 crore," she said.
She added that approximately 20 per cent of the current allocation would be used to clear pending payments from previous years.
Highlighting the significance of the scheme, Sonia Gandhi said, "MGNREGA was introduced during the UPA government led by Dr Manmohan Singh. This historic law has been a crucial safety net for millions of people living in rural India."
Sonia Gandhi pointed out several challenges affecting the scheme, including the mandatory Aadhaar-based payment system and the National Mobile Monitoring System.
She also raised concerns about delayed wage payments and inadequate rates that do not keep pace with inflation.
On behalf of the Congress party, she put forward several demands to strengthen MGNREGA. She said, budgetary allocation must be increased to ensure the scheme's maintenance and expansion. She demanded daily minimum wage be raised to Rs 400, apart from the timely payment.
She also demanded to abolish the mandatory Aadhaar-based payment system and the National Mobile Monitoring System and an increase in the guaranteed workdays from 100 to 150 per year.
"These measures are essential to ensure MGNREGA continues to provide dignified employment and economic security to rural households," Sonia Gandhi asserted.
The Congress party has urged the government to address these concerns and take steps to protect the integrity of the MGNREGA scheme.
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