Congress To Launch MGNREGA Bachao Stir From January 10

On January 3, Congress leaders K.C. Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh declared that the party will launch a nationwide protest to safeguard the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The stir, called ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram,’ will run from January 10 to February 25.  

The party alleges that the recently enacted Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, or VB-GRAM-G, dilutes MGNREGA’s essence by converting the statutory right to work into a discretionary scheme under central control. Congress leaders argue this undermines Panchayati Raj institutions and weakens rural livelihoods.  

Key Highlights  

• Congress to begin nationwide ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ from January 10 to February 25  
• Campaign demands withdrawal of VB-GRAM-G Act and restoration of MGNREGA as a rights-based programme  
• Party leaders claim the new Act centralizes power and erodes the Right to Work  
• Protests will emphasize safeguarding rural employment and Panchayati Raj institutions  
• Congress frames the agitation as a fight for rural workers’ dignity and livelihood security  

Conclusion  
The upcoming agitation reflects Congress’s push to defend MGNREGA’s original framework as a statutory right. With protests planned across states, the campaign is expected to intensify political debate over rural employment guarantees and the balance between central authority and grassroots empowerment.  

Sources: The Hindu, Deccan Chronicle, Business Standard