Punjab Congress announces statewide campaign against proposed changes to MGNREGA

The Punjab Congress has announced a statewide protest campaign opposing the Centre’s proposed changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), including a reported move to rename the scheme and alter its funding structure.

Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said on Monday that the party will launch its agitation from January 8, beginning with a protest march from Gurdaspur that will conclude in Guru Har Sahai. He said the campaign is aimed at safeguarding the original intent of MGNREGA, which he described as a lifeline for rural households across Punjab.

Warring alleged that the proposed ordinance would significantly increase the financial burden on state governments. Under the existing framework, he said, the Centre contributes 90 percent of the funding while states cover the remaining 10 percent. The proposed changes would reverse that balance to 60 percent Centre funding and 40 percent state funding, a move the Congress says would strain state finances and undermine rural employment guarantees.

As part of the campaign, Congress workers plan to hold demonstrations and gherao the residences of leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Aam Aadmi Party across the state. Warring said the protests would continue at multiple levels until the Centre withdraws the proposed ordinance.

The Congress leader said the party views the changes as discriminatory toward Punjab and other states, adding that MGNREGA has played a critical role in providing income security to rural families. There was no immediate response from the Centre or the BJP on the allegations at the time of reporting.