Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge Criticizes Government Over MGNREGA Job Card Deletions
New Delhi [India], August 23: Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge alleged on Friday that the government has deleted over 7 crore worker job cards using technology and AADHAAR, cutting these households off from MGNREGA work. He also claimed a significant budget cut for MGNREGA, marking a 10-year low in the scheme’s funding.
Kharge stated that in 2005, the Congress-UPA Government enacted the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to ensure the ‘Right to Work’ for people in rural India. Despite low wages and abysmal work-days, there are currently 13.3 crore active workers who depend on MGNREGA. He accused the Modi Government of artificially suppressing the demand for work under the scheme by lowering the budget allocation to just 1.78% of the total budget.
Kharge also pointed out that the Economic Survey has tried to justify the low allocation by claiming that MGNREGA demand does not necessarily correlate with rural distress. He highlighted that the daily wages paid under MGNREGA are inadequate, with the daily wage rate for Uttar Pradesh increasing just 4% per year since 2014, despite higher inflation rates. Currently, a laborer earns an average of Rs213/day, while the Congress is committed to providing Rs400/day as the National Minimum Wage.
He concluded by stating that rural inflation has been higher than urban inflation for 13 straight months, yet the Modi Government’s apathy towards the rural poor continues. Kharge called the present state of MGNREGA a ‘LIVING MONUMENT of PM Modi’s betrayal to rural India.’
Doubts Revealed
Congress Chief -: The Congress Chief is the leader of the Indian National Congress, a major political party in India. Currently, Mallikarjun Kharge holds this position.
Mallikarjun Kharge -: Mallikarjun Kharge is an Indian politician and the current president of the Indian National Congress party.
MGNREGA -: MGNREGA stands for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. It is a law in India that guarantees 100 days of work per year to rural households.
Job Card -: A job card is a document given to rural households under MGNREGA. It allows them to get work and earn wages.
AADHAAR -: AADHAAR is a unique identification number given to every Indian resident. It is used for various services and benefits.
Budget Cut -: A budget cut means reducing the amount of money allocated for a particular program or service. In this case, it refers to less money being given to MGNREGA.
Right to Work -: The ‘Right to Work’ means that people have the right to have a job and earn money. MGNREGA was introduced to ensure this right for rural people in India.
Daily Wage Rates -: Daily wage rates are the amount of money workers are paid for a day’s work. Kharge criticized these rates as being too low under MGNREGA.
Rural India -: Rural India refers to the countryside areas of India where farming and small villages are common, as opposed to urban areas like cities.