Congress condemns Centre for replacing MGNREGA job scheme

Congress protests against the Centre's replacement of MGNREGA, demanding its reinstatement and faster wage disbursement for workers.

The Congress workers staged a demonstration near the District Collectorate in Tiruchi on Monday condemning the BJP-led NDA government for replacing and renaming the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025.

The Congress members and functionaries headed by the party’s Tiruchi urban district president L. Rex assembled near the Collectorate in the morning where they staged the demonstration. Later, a group of party members led by Mr. Rex handed over a memorandum to District Collector V. Saravanan for its onward submission to the Chief Minister and to the Prime Minister.

The memorandum urged the Centre to continue to implement the scheme under the same name of MGNREGA brought in by the Congress-led UPA regime.

It demanded that the new name Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (VB-G RAM G) be withdrawn and sought speedy disbursal of wages that were outstanding under the scheme without any delay. It requested the Centre to provide employment under the scheme for 150 days and provide ₹400 as minimum daily wage to the labourers.