- Hyderabad DCC flags MGNREGS dilution and rural jobs
- Centre move on MGNREGS to hit labour and agriculture
Hyderabad: Hyderabad District Congress Committee warned that the Centre’s move on MGNREGS would seriously affect rural jobs, urban labour supply, and agriculture. Hyderabad DCC President Syed Khalid Saifullah made the remarks while addressing a press conference. The event took place at Chintalkunta as part of a nationwide protest call given by the All India Congress Committee. He accused the Central government of systematically weakening the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
Saifullah said the proposed changes would not remain limited to rural areas. Therefore, he warned of wider effects on cities and farming. He said dilution of MGNREGS would hurt rural livelihoods and disturb labour balance in urban centres. Meanwhile, Congress Assembly in charges Rajesh Kumar Pulipati, B. Nagesh, Mohmmed Mujeebullah Shareef, Shaik Akbar, and K. Ravi Raj also addressed the press conference.
He said weakening MGNREGS would trigger large scale migration from villages to cities. As a result, urban areas would face more pressure on jobs, housing, and basic services. At the same time, villages would suffer from a shortage of farm labour. Therefore, farming operations would be directly affected.
Saifullah said crops such as paddy and vegetables would face serious impact due to lack of workers. He warned that lower production could lead to higher prices. “The collapse of MGNREGS will not remain a rural issue. It will disturb the entire economic chain, from agriculture to urban markets,” he said.
He also said MGNREGS originally guaranteed 100 days of work for every rural family. Work had to be provided on demand within a fixed time. However, he alleged that proposed changes would turn this legal right into a discretionary benefit controlled by the Union government.
Raising wage concerns, Saifullah said the scheme earlier ensured minimum wages with revisions. He alleged the new framework would allow arbitrary wages and deny work during harvest season. Therefore, rural workers would lose bargaining power and face distress employment.
He further alleged that gram panchayat authority was being weakened. He said centralisation and return of contractors would reduce local bodies to implementing agencies. He also criticised shifting financial burden to states. He warned this could discourage job generation under MGNREGS.
Saifullah said MGNREGS served as a lifeline during the Covid 19 pandemic. He warned dilution would deepen rural distress. He said Congress would hold village meetings and awareness drives under “MGNREGA Bachao Sangram”. He demanded rollback of changes, restoration of the right to work, and a national minimum wage of Rs. 400.
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