 meeting, the Indian National Congress on Saturday announced a nationwide Save MNREGA campaign){kind=link}
After the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, the Indian National Congress on Saturday announced a nationwide Save MNREGA campaign, which will begin from January 5, making the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) the focal point of a large-scale mass movement. The announcement was made by Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, who said the party leadership has resolved to strongly oppose any move that could weaken or dilute the rural employment guarantee scheme.
Speaking to the media after the high-level meeting, Kharge said that senior leaders of the party collectively took an oath to safeguard MNREGA and ensure that the employment rights of rural citizens are protected. He stressed that the Congress would take the lead in mobilising people across the country to defend the scheme, which has been a cornerstone of rural livelihood security for nearly two decades.
Save MNREGA Campaign to Begin January 5
Reiterating the party’s commitment, Kharge said the decision to launch the Save MNREGA campaign was taken unanimously during the CWC meeting. He added that the movement would be rolled out across states and districts, involving party workers, elected representatives and grassroots organisations.
“In the meeting, we took an oath. We decided to launch a massive movement across the country, making the MNREGA scheme the central point. The Indian National Congress, taking a leading role, will launch the MNREGA Save Campaign from January 5,” Kharge said.
The Congress president underlined that MNREGA has played a crucial role in providing wage employment and economic stability to millions of rural households, especially during periods of distress and economic slowdown.
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MNREGA Is a Constitutional Right, Says Kharge
Highlighting the legal and moral significance of the scheme, Kharge said MNREGA is not merely a welfare initiative but a right guaranteed under the Constitution of India. He asserted that the Congress would oppose any attempt to undermine the spirit of the law or erase the legacy associated with it.
“We will protect the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act at all costs. MNREGA is not just a scheme but a right to work guaranteed by the Constitution of India. We also pledge to democratically oppose every conspiracy to remove Gandhiji’s name from MNREGA,” he added.
The Congress leadership has repeatedly accused the ruling dispensation of weakening MNREGA through budgetary constraints and policy changes, a charge the government has denied.
New Rural Employment Law Triggers Political Debate
The Congress announcement comes in the backdrop of a major policy shift in rural employment legislation. Recently, Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, according to a release issued by the President’s Secretariat.
The new Act enhances the statutory wage employment guarantee to 125 days per financial year for rural households. It aims to promote empowerment, inclusive growth, convergence of development schemes and saturation-based service delivery, with the stated objective of building a resilient, self-reliant and prosperous Rural Bharat.
MGNREGA Replaced Under Viksit Bharat @2047 Vision
Earlier, Parliament passed the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, marking a significant overhaul of India’s rural employment framework. The Act replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, with a new statutory model aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
While the government has described the legislation as a reform to strengthen livelihood security and streamline development initiatives, the Congress has expressed concern over the replacement of MNREGA and the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the original Act. The Save MNREGA campaign is expected to bring this political and policy debate to the forefront in the coming weeks.
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