Nagaland Mahila Congress launches statewide movement to ‘Save MGNREGA’

The Nagaland Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee (NPMCC) on Saturday announced the launch of a statewide movement to protect the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), describing the scheme as vital for safeguarding livelihood security and dignity for rural women.

The decision was taken during an executive and organisational meeting held at Congress Bhavan, Dimapur, under the theme ‘Save MGNREGA’, according to a press release from the party’s media cell. The session was chaired by Shikali Swu, general secretary of NPMCC, and began with an invocation by Neojila Yim, vice-president of NPMCC. Leaders and members from across the state attended the gathering.

Speaking at the event, Yim emphasised that MGNREGA is not merely a welfare scheme but a legal right, crucial for empowering rural women. She raised concerns over delayed wage payments, reduced workdays, and the exclusion of vulnerable women from the scheme due to administrative and policy lapses.

The NPMCC adopted a resolution outlining concrete steps to protect MGNREGA rights. These include:

• Grassroots awareness campaigns to educate rural women about their entitlements under MGNREGA.

• Documentation and escalation of cases involving wage delays or denial of work.

• Mobilisation of women for peaceful and democratic protests to demand timely implementation.

• Engagement with MPs and MLAs to raise the issue in Parliament and the state assembly.

The move reflects the party’s commitment to women’s economic empowerment and underscores the continued political focus on rural employment and social justice in Nagaland.

With PTI inputs