Sonia Gandhi Raises Alarm Over MGNREGA's Erosion in Rajya Sabha
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Synopsis
On March 18, Sonia Gandhi expressed grave concerns regarding the diminishing impact of the MGNREGA scheme in the Rajya Sabha, urging the government to enhance budgetary allocations, increase minimum wages, and address critical challenges affecting rural employment.
Key Takeaways
- Sonia Gandhi criticized the government's budget cuts to MGNREGA.
- She pointed out issues with Aadhaar payment systems and monitoring.
- Proposed increasing the daily wage to Rs 400.
- Demanded raising guaranteed workdays to 150.
- Called for addressing delayed payments to rural workers.
New Delhi, March 18 (NationPress) Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson and Rajya Sabha member Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday expressed her apprehensions regarding the decline of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme.
During the Zero Hour session in the Rajya Sabha, she accused the Central government of systematically dismantling the scheme by slashing budgetary allocations.
"The budget allocation for MGNREGA has been stagnant at Rs 86,000 crore, but in reality, it has decreased by Rs 4,000 crore," she stated.
She mentioned that nearly 20 percent of the current allocation would be utilized to settle pending payments from previous years.
Emphasizing the importance of the scheme, Sonia Gandhi remarked, "MGNREGA was launched during the UPA government led by Dr. Manmohan Singh. This landmark legislation has served as a vital safety net for millions in rural India."
Sonia Gandhi highlighted various challenges impacting the scheme, such as the mandatory Aadhaar-based payment system and the National Mobile Monitoring System.
She also voiced concerns regarding delayed wage payments and insufficient rates that fail to keep up with inflation.
Representing the Congress party, she proposed several measures to reinforce MGNREGA. She insisted that the budgetary allocation must be increased to ensure the scheme's sustainability and growth. She called for a raise in the daily minimum wage to Rs 400, alongside timely payments.
Furthermore, she advocated for the elimination of the mandatory Aadhaar-based payment system and the National Mobile Monitoring System, as well as increasing the guaranteed workdays from 100 to 150 per year.
"These actions are vital to guarantee that MGNREGA continues to provide dignified employment and economic security to rural households," Sonia Gandhi affirmed.
The Congress party has called upon the government to address these issues and take proactive steps to safeguard the integrity of the MGNREGA scheme.
