The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Friday launched the “MGNREGA Bachao Sangram” campaign, alleging that the Modi government is diluting the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA/MNREGS) and weakening people’s constitutional right to work.
Addressing a press conference held at Congress Bhavan, Dr N. Dwijamani Singh, Chairman of the Doctors’ Cell, claimed that the changes proposed by the Centre amount to an attack on rural livelihood security and the long-standing employment guarantee provided under MNREGS.
The press conference was attended by K. Chandrakumar Singh, Secretary, MPCC; R.K. Suraj, President (City); Shri M. Momon Singh, Ex-Candidate (INC) and PCC member; and Th. Devadutta Singh, MPCC member.
Congress flags ‘four attacks’ on MNREGS
Dr Singh outlined what he termed as the Modi government’s “four attacks” on the rural job guarantee scheme:
1. Right to Work:
He alleged that the legal right to work is being weakened, with work being offered only when the government decides. He said that under MNREGS, rural families had a legal guarantee of a minimum of 100 days of work per year, and employment was to be provided within 15 days of demand across India.
2. Right to Fair Wages:
The Congress leader claimed that wages could be fixed arbitrarily, with no guaranteed yearly revisions, adding that the proposed changes may also restrict work during the harvest season. He said this would reduce workers’ bargaining power for fair wages and could push labourers to accept work without minimum wage protection.
3. Panchayati Raj:
He alleged that decision-making will be centralised and Gram Panchayats will lose authority, while contractors would gain control over projects and labour. He further claimed that there would be no provision for NREGA mates and Rozgar Sahayaks, who play an important role in supporting local implementation of MNREGS.
4. State Finances:
Dr Singh further alleged that state governments may be burdened with paying 40% of wages, unlike earlier when the Union government paid wages, which could discourage states from providing work at all.
MNREGS called ‘lifeline’ for workers
Calling MNREGS a “lifeline for India’s workers”, Dr Singh said the scheme supported millions during the COVID-19 pandemic and has generated large-scale employment since its rollout in 2006. He said that MNREGS has provided employment to 4.6 crore families and generated more than 180 crore days of work, besides creating rural assets such as village tanks and rural roads.
Congress demands
He said the Congress has placed four key demands under the campaign:
• Guaranteed work, guaranteed wages, guaranteed accountability
• Immediate rollback of changes introduced to MNREGS
• Complete restoration of the constitutional right to work
• National minimum wage of Rs 400
Campaign plan from January 12 to 29
As part of the campaign, the party announced a series of activities to be conducted between January 12 and January 29, 2026, including:
• Panchayat-level meetings involving Gram Pradhans, Gram Panchayat members, MNREGS mates and workers
• Delivery of letters signed by senior Congress leadership to Gram Pradhans and MNREGS workers
• Public playing of video messages addressed to MNREGS workers in villages
• Wall painting of slogans
• Passage of Gram Sabha resolutions supporting MNREGS protection
• Village-level prabhat pheris with slogans
• Postcards from MNREGS workers to the President of India seeking restoration of MNREGS
• Vidhan Sabha-level nukkad sabhas
The party said further activities would be taken up as determined by the AICC coordination committee.
