Congress Urges Rs 400 Daily Wage for MGNREGA Workers in Union Budget

New Delhi: Criticizing the Modi government’s handling of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Congress has demanded substantial changes in the Union Budget 2025, including increasing the daily wage to Rs 400 and expanding workdays from 100 to 150 annually.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh emphasized the scheme’s crucial role during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, when demand for MGNREGA work surged by 33%. Currently, 9.31 crore workers rely on the program, with 75% of them being women.

The party also opposed making the Aadhaar-Based Payment Bridge System (ABPS) mandatory, citing its exclusionary impact as 27% of workers are ineligible for payment due to ABPS constraints. Ramesh raised concerns about the app-based National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS), which suffers from connectivity issues, leading to unregistered attendance and delayed payments.

The Congress criticized reduced allocations to MGNREGA, which now constitute just 0.26% of GDP, far below the World Bank’s recommendation of 1.7%. Further, Ramesh alleged that nearly 20% of MGNREGA's budget goes towards clearing past dues, leaving limited funds for active workers.

Key demands include timely wage payments within 15 days, adequate compensation for delays, and a Standing Committee to review wage revisions. Congress reiterated its commitment to realizing these goals as outlined in its 2024 election manifesto.