Union govt ‘systematically undermined’ MGNREGA, says Sonia Gandhi demanding 400 rupees minimum wage, 150 workdays
Veteran Congress leader Sonia Gandhi Tuesday slammed the Narendra Modi-led government for keeping Budget allocation for MGNREGA stagnant over time.
“This landmark legislation has been a crucial safety net for millions of rural poor. However, it is deeply concerning that the present BJP government has systematically undermined the scheme,” she said in the Rajya Sabha.
Gandhi said that the budget allocation (for the scheme) remains stagnant at Rs 86,000 crore, a 10-year low as a percentage of GDP.
When adjusted for inflation, the effective budget declines by Rs 4,000 crore, former Congress chief said, adding that estimates suggest nearly 20 per cent of the allocated funds will be used to clear pending dues from previous years.
“Additionally, the scheme faces multiple challenges, including the exclusionary Aadhaar-based payment and the National Mobile Monitoring System, persistent delays in wage payment and wage rates not adequate to compensate for inflation,” she claimed.
Gandhi also demanded raising of minimum wages and the number of guaranteed workdays under the rural employment guarantee scheme, MGNREGA.
She demanded that the minimum wage should be increased by Rs 400 per day along with timely disbursement of wages, adding that the number of guaranteed workdays should be increased from 100 to 150 per year.
