Jharkhand Challenges Centre: A Call to Retain MGNREGA Framework

The Jharkhand assembly passed a resolution urging the central government to retain the original MGNREGA framework, rejecting the VB-G RAM G Act. Rural Development Minister Dipika Pandey Singh advocated for preserving the existing structure to safeguard rural livelihoods, highlighting concerns about the financial and social impact of the new Act.

In a decisive move, the Jharkhand assembly has urged the central government to maintain the original framework of MGNREGA, amid opposition to the new VB-G RAM G Act. Rural Development Minister Dipika Pandey Singh, who presented the resolution, emphasized the need to protect rural livelihoods.

Passed via voice vote, the resolution reflects concerns over the newly enacted VB-G RAM G Act, which promises 125 days of employment, compared to MGNREGA's historic guarantee. Pandey urged an increase to 150 days of employment under the original scheme to combat migration.

The minister criticized the altered financial structure and its burden on states like Jharkhand, stressing that altering MGNREGA could diminish local governance and rural empowerment, central tenets of the original Act.

(With inputs from agencies.)