Bhopal/New Delhi: In a sharp rebuttal to the Congress’ recent announcement of a “Save MGNREGA Movement”, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has accused the Opposition of attempting to shield corruption rather than protect rural workers.
In a press conference, Union Minister Chouhan said that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), once envisioned as a lifeline for rural labourers, had over time become synonymous with irregularities and misuse of funds.
The Union Minister highlighted that under previous administrations, contractors often replaced workers, machinery was used instead of manual labour, and repeated projects drained resources without creating permanent assets.
Social audits conducted by village assemblies reportedly uncovered more than a million complaints, ranging from inflated worker rolls to elderly individuals being falsely shown as labourers.
By contrast, the Union government emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure has seen unprecedented allocations — more than Rs 8.48 lakh crore –towards rural employment and development.
The new initiative, branded as the “Viksit Bharat-G RAM G Yojana”, promises stronger safeguards, increased transparency, and expanded benefits.
Key reforms include extending guaranteed employment from 100 to 125 days, introducing penalties for delayed wage payments, and strengthening provisions for unemployment allowances, Union Minister Chouhan said.
He stressed that unlike earlier practises where states dictated projects, the revamped scheme empowers gram sabhas and elected village representatives to decide local priorities.
Planned works now focus on durable infrastructure such as schools, roads, irrigation canals, check dams, health centres, and livelihood projects for self- help groups.
The Union government insists this bottom-up approach will ensure villages become self-reliant, employment rich, and free from poverty.
The Union administration also pointed to increased allocations for technical staff and employment assistants, ensuring timely salaries and better implementation.
Farmers are expected to benefit during peak agricultural seasons, with labour support available through the programme.
Rejecting Congress’ criticism that the scheme burdens states and undermines employment guarantees, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders said that funding ratios — 60:40 for most states, 90:10 for hill and North-eastern states, and 100 per cent for Union Territories — are consistent with other Centrally sponsored programmes.
Calling Congress “development averse”, the Union government accused the Opposition of spreading misinformation and boycotting Parliamentary debates on the issue.
Union Minister Chouhan urged the Congress to acknowledge reforms rather than obstruct them, insisting that the new scheme represents a major step toward eliminating corruption and ensuring genuine rural progress.
(IANS)
