MGNREGA: In Rajya Sabha, Sonia Gandhi demands increase in minimum wage to Rs 400, guaranteed workdays

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday accused the BJP-led Centre of "systematically undermining" the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), and demanded increasing of minimum wage under it to Rs 400 per day and the number of guaranteed workdays to 150 per year.

Raising the issue during zero hour in Rajya Sabha, the Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson said the UPA government under the then prime minister Manmohan Singh enacted MGNREGA in 2005. "I am deeply concerned that the present BJP government has systematically undermined the scheme, and the budget allocation remains stagnant at Rs 86,000 crore," she added.

Gandhi said, "The allocated budget has actually declined by Rs 4,000 crore. Moreover, estimates suggest that nearly 20 per cent of the allocated funds will be used to clear pending dues from previous years," the Congress leader added.

The Congress leader emphasised the critical role of MGNREGA in providing economic security to rural workers, especially amid rising inflation and job scarcity. She highlighted that enhancing the programme would not only support the rural populace but also stimulate the broader economy by increasing purchasing power in rural areas.

Adequate financial provisions be made to sustain and expand the scheme, she said.

An increase in minimum wages and the number of guaranteed workdays are essential she said and demanded the removal of the Aadhaar Payments Bridge System and National Mobile Monitoring System app to ensure that MGNREGA provides dignified employment and financial security.

The Central government had increased MGNREGA wages by 3-10 per cent in nominal terms for the financial year 2024-25 just before general elections were announced last year.

The wages vary from state to state and are in the range of Rs 237 (Uttarakhand) to Rs 300 (Andhra Pradesh) a day.

The government's response to the recent demands is yet to be seen. However, the appeal underscores the ongoing debate about MGNREGA's role in addressing rural unemployment and poverty.

Proponents argue that increasing wages and workdays would provide much-needed relief to rural communities, while critics express concerns about the financial implications of such expansions.

As discussions continue, the focus remains on balancing fiscal responsibility with the imperative to support vulnerable rural populations through effective employment guarantee schemes.

With PTI inputs