Controversy Erupts Over New Employment Act Replacing MGNREGA

The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act has been criticized as an attack on Mahatma Gandhi's principles and a conspiracy against the poor's right to work, replacing MGNREGA. Congress leaders allege it burdens states financially and compromises rural employment rights.

The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, which replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), has drawn severe criticism from Congress leaders. They argue that the revised law undermines Mahatma Gandhi's vision by stripping away the constitutional right to work.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has been accused of gradually dismantling MGNREGA over the years, from budget cuts to imposing Aadhaar-based payment systems. By introducing this new Act, critics claim the poor rural population will face controlled labour conditions under limited resources.

The recent Parliamentary approval of the Viksit Bharat Act, which offers 125 days of employment annually, has intensified political debates. The Congress party pledges to challenge this Act, viewing it as a violation of the principles of cooperative federalism and economic rights.

(With inputs from agencies.)