Modi govt killing off MGNREGA by cutting budgets, delaying payments: Cong
The Congress on Wednesday attacked the Centre over its implementation of the UPA-launched MGNREGA, alleging that the Modi government is "killing off" the scheme by cutting budgets and delaying payments, making it very difficult for rural workers to benefit from it.
Chairman All-India Unorganized Workers and Employees Congress Udit Raj said the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, (MGNREGA) was enacted by the Congress-led UPA government to ensure at least 100 days' employment to rural workers.
He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "never liked this scheme" and "vilified it on the floor of the Parliament".
"The Modi government was forced to rely on this great welfare scheme during the years of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 and 2022. Had MGNREGA not existed, imagine the plight of rural unorganised workers during Covid," Raj said at a press conference at the AICC headquarters here.
"PM Modi never admitted his mistake, and is now killing off the scheme by .