In a charged demonstration at the Parliament premises on Tuesday, Congress MPs from Kerala, led by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, protested the central government’s alleged neglect of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) workers.
The group, joined by senior leaders like KC Venugopal and Shashi Tharoor, demanded immediate action to address unpaid wages, a hike in daily pay to offset rampant inflation, and an extension of the scheme’s guaranteed workdays from 100 to 150 annually.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in her first parliamentary term, took aim at the BJP-led government, accusing it of abandoning rural India. “Millions of families are without livelihoods, pushed deeper into poverty and suffering,” she said, her voice echoing across the protest site near the Makar Dwar entrance.
“The government must act now—release pending wages, raise pay to match rising costs, and ensure 150 workdays. These workers deserve justice, not delays.” Her remarks underscored the plight of over 25 crore registered MGNREGS workers nationwide, many of whom hail from Kerala’s rural belts.
Rahul Gandhi, a vocal advocate for the scheme since its inception under the UPA in 2005, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with his sister, amplifying the call for reform. The protest, marked by placards reading “Save MGNREGS” and “Fair Wages Now,” highlighted a deepening crisis. Official data shows Kerala’s MGNREGS workforce—over 15 lakh strong—has faced payment delays since mid-2024, with Rs 1,200 crore in dues pending nationally as of February, per the Ministry of Rural Development.
Inflation, hitting 6.2% in October 2024 per the Reserve Bank of India, has further eroded the scheme’s Rs 73 average daily wage, unchanged since 2023.
Kerala’s Congress MPs, including Kodikunnil Suresh and Anto Antony, accused the Centre of slashing funds—down 10% to Rs 86,000 crore in the 2025-26 Union Budget—crippling a program that once buoyed rural economies post-COVID.
“This isn’t neglect; it’s sabotage,” Venugopal charged, pointing to a 30% drop in workdays generated in Kerala this fiscal year. Tharoor, wielding data, noted that participation has plummeted as workers abandon the scheme for unreliable private jobs.
The MGNREGS, designed to provide 100 days of wage employment per rural household, has been a lifeline for Kerala, where women—comprising 90% of its scheme workers—rely on it for income stability. Yet, a Comptroller and Auditor General report from 2023 flagged irregularities, including ghost beneficiaries, while posts on X reveal growing frustration among workers unpaid for months.
The Congress’s protest, timed during the ongoing Budget Session, aims to corner the NDA government, which defends its stance by citing fiscal constraints and a shift toward infrastructure spending.