MGNREGA Workers Rally Against VB-GRAM G Act: A Call for Employment Rights Restoration

MGNREGA workers in Karnataka are calling on the President of India to reinstate the UPA-era employment guarantee scheme amid growing concerns. They argue that the new VB-GRAM G Act fails to address ongoing challenges and instead centralizes power, increasing financial burdens on states and promoting corruption.

Thousands of MGNREGA workers in Karnataka have taken their grievances to the President of India, urging the rollback of the newly enacted VB-GRAM G Act. This call comes from a gathering of over 10,000 workers at Freedom Park, Bengaluru. The MGNREGA Protection Coalition has sent a memorandum highlighting their concerns.

The coalition insists that the original MGNREGA law fostered local employment and environmental conservation, and its repeal undermines these benefits. They underscore a legacy of delayed payments and excessive digitization issues. Over 26 crore workers are registered under MGNREGA nationwide, with Karnataka accounting for 1.79 crore.

The new VB-GRAM G Act is criticized for shifting financial responsibility to states while bypassing prior consultation. It centralizes decision-making on work allocation, potentially exacerbating corruption and bureaucracy. Workers demand increased employment days and higher wages, unaddressed by the current administration.

(With inputs from agencies.)