Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan on Saturday (December 27, 2025) targeted Congress regarding MNREGA. He said that the noise of Congress is only political. Congress had neither intentions nor policies. He said that this is the same Congress, which added the name of Mahatma Gandhi for electoral gains. This is the same Congress, which reduced the budget of MNREGA from time to time. This is the same Congress which froze wages. Today Congressmen are shedding crocodile tears.

The Union Minister shared a post on social media platform X. Shivraj said that today when through technology, transparency and timely payment it is being ensured that the money reaches the accounts of the hardworking people, then Congress sees it as an attack. In this plan it has been decided that decisions will no longer be taken from Delhi but from the village. Gram Panchayats will sit and make their own plans.

Number of days of employment increased from 100 to 125: Shivraj

He said, ‘In this scheme, employment has not been reduced but has been further strengthened. The number of employment days has been increased from 100 days to 125 days. There is a provision for unemployment allowance if work is not received within the stipulated time and if there is a delay in wage payment, there is a provision for additional compensation on delayed payment. It is clear that employment security is not decreasing, but is increasing.

He further said, ‘The rights of Gram Sabha and Panchayat are not weakening, but are becoming stronger. The Gram Sabha will decide the identification and priority of the works. Responsibility for implementation, monitoring and quality is ensured at the local level. Besides, provision for public review of expenditure and payments has been made by making social audit mandatory. Special emphasis has been laid on active participation of women, self-help groups and community.

The noise of Congress is only political. Congress had neither intentions nor policies. This is the same Congress which added the name of Mahatma Gandhi for electoral benefit. This is the same Congress, which reduced the budget of MNREGA from time to time. This is the same Congress which froze wages. Today Congress shed crocodile tears…

— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) December 27, 2025

Workers’ rights are not like any dole: Shivraj Chauhan

The Union Minister said, ‘Every Panchayat is not the same. Arrangements have also been made to provide more funds, more assistance and more opportunities to the panchayats which are most backward, where there is still a dire need of employment and lack of basic infrastructure. In this scheme, the rights of workers have been ensured not as a dole, but as a respectable security.

He said, ‘It is based on timely work, respectable wages and safe working conditions in one’s own village. Special focus has been given to sustainable income growth through transparent and timely payments, creation of assets and livelihood related activities. Here rights are not being given on mercy, but with guarantee and respect.

VB-Ji Ram Ji is the future of rural India: Union Minister

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, ‘VB-ji Ram ji is the future of rural India. Its goal is empowered villages and respected labourers. Our resolution is village swaraj and self-reliance, our vision is village-based development. Our aim is respect for labour. Our aim is public participation and social accountability.

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For the last few months, where the number of people seeking work under Mantma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme MGNREGS was increasing continuously, while it saw a sharp decline in the month of March. According to the latest government data, 186.4 million families in March sought work under MNREGA, which is about 14.5 percent less than in February. This number was 224.9 million in January, 217.9 million in February and 215.7 million in December.

Are the situation improving in rural India now?

Talking to The Mint, a senior government official said that the surge in the demand for MNREGA between November and February was mostly due to seasonal reasons. Now work has increased in farming and non-agricultural sectors, so people are less towards MNREGA. This change shows that now other employment options are emerging in the villages.

The interesting thing is that the economy of the country is also showing this change. In October-December 2024 (Q3 FY25), GDP growth was 6.2 per cent, which was better than 5.6 per cent in the previous quarter. Consumption of villages and government expenditure contributed to this growth. The agricultural sector also showed a strength of 5.6 percent, it is far better than last year.

Government budget is the same, but more expenses!

In the FY26 budget, a provision of Rs 86,000 crore has been made for MNREGA, which is as much as last year. But in the FY24, initially there was an estimate of only 60,000 crores, while the actual expenditure reached 1.06 lakh crores. This shows that there was a huge unemployment in rural India last year, especially due to irregular rains.

The government plans to strengthen the rural economy through good monsoon and increasing government expenditure this year. India Meteorological Department has predicted more rain than normal this time, which can bring relief for both farming and employment.

What is MNREGA?

MNREGA is an ambitious scheme of the Government of India which gives at least 100 days of guaranteed employment to rural poor families. The work available in this is mostly non-skilled wages, such as construction of roads, water conservation, plantation, etc.

The demand for this scheme increases when there is a shortage of employment, wages or employment in unorganized areas in villages. Therefore, MNREGA is often called the “thermometer of rural crisis”. When the situation is bad, people come towards this scheme in large numbers. But now, this falling demand means that perhaps things in the villages are gradually returning to the tracks.

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