Congress to Launch Campaign for MGNREGA Workers' Rights
Congress to launch campaign demanding work for MGNREGA workers, protesting scheme changes.
Photo by Markus Spiske
The Congress party is set to launch the 'Kaam Maango Abhiyan' (Demand for work) campaign to mobilize workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The campaign aims to reach 2.5 lakh gram panchayats and crores of people. Party functionaries will assist at least 10 workers in each gram panchayat to formally demand work.
This initiative is part of a larger program called “MGNREGA Bachao Sangram” (Save MGNREGA movement), which the Congress describes as a nationwide struggle to restore the constitutional rights to work, wages, and accountability. The party has also launched a website and a petition addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, protesting recent changes to MGNREGA.
Key Facts
Campaign: Kaam Maango Abhiyan
Scheme: MGNREGA
Target: 2.5 lakh gram panchayats
UPSC Exam Angles
GS Paper II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Connects to syllabus areas of poverty, unemployment, rural development, and social justice.
Potential question types: evaluating the effectiveness of MGNREGA, analyzing its impact on rural livelihoods, and assessing the challenges in its implementation.
Visual Insights
MGNREGA: Gram Panchayats Targeted by Congress Campaign
This map shows the distribution of Gram Panchayats across India, where the Congress party plans to launch its 'Kaam Maango Abhiyan' to mobilize MGNREGA workers. The intensity of the color represents the density of rural population and potential MGNREGA beneficiaries.
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More Information
Background
The MGNREGA's roots can be traced back to earlier employment guarantee schemes in India, most notably the Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) of Maharashtra, which began in 1972. This scheme served as a model for later national-level initiatives. The idea of a nationwide employment guarantee gained traction in the early 2000s, driven by concerns about rural poverty and unemployment.
The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) was finally passed in 2005, after extensive debates and consultations. Key features included the legal right to work, a focus on asset creation, and decentralized implementation through Panchayati Raj Institutions. The Act was renamed MGNREGA in 2009 to honor Mahatma Gandhi.
Latest Developments
In recent years, MGNREGA has faced challenges related to funding delays, wage payment issues, and allegations of corruption. The central government has been emphasizing the use of technology and direct benefit transfer (DBT) to improve efficiency and transparency. There have been ongoing debates about the scope of permissible works under MGNREGA, with some advocating for expanding it to include activities like skill development and agricultural extension.
The COVID-19 pandemic saw a surge in demand for MGNREGA work, highlighting its role as a safety net during economic crises. Future trends are likely to involve greater convergence with other rural development programs and a focus on climate-resilient works.
Practice Questions (MCQs)
1. Consider the following statements regarding the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA): 1. It guarantees 150 days of wage employment in a financial year to rural households whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. 2. The Act mandates that at least one-third of the beneficiaries shall be women. 3. Social Audit of MGNREGA works is mandatory in all Gram Panchayats. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.3 only
- D.2 only
Show Answer
Answer: B
Statement 1 is incorrect. MGNREGA guarantees 100 days of wage employment, not 150. Statements 2 and 3 are correct as they reflect the provisions of the Act regarding women's participation and social audits.
2. In the context of MGNREGA, what is the primary objective of 'convergence' with other government schemes?
- A.To reduce the overall budget allocation for MGNREGA.
- B.To create more durable assets and enhance livelihood opportunities.
- C.To transfer MGNREGA funds to other sectors.
- D.To eliminate the need for social audits.
Show Answer
Answer: B
Convergence aims to integrate MGNREGA with other schemes to create more durable assets and improve livelihood opportunities for rural households. This involves combining resources and efforts to achieve synergistic outcomes.
3. Which of the following committees/commissions has NOT directly contributed to the conceptualization or evolution of employment guarantee schemes in India?
- A.Dantwala Committee
- B.Lakdawala Committee
- C.Hanumantha Rao Committee
- D.Tendulkar Committee
Show Answer
Answer: D
The Tendulkar Committee is primarily known for its work on poverty estimation, while the Dantwala, Lakdawala, and Hanumantha Rao Committees have contributed to the understanding and development of employment and rural development schemes.
4. Assertion (A): MGNREGA aims to provide a legal guarantee for wage employment to enhance livelihood security in rural areas. Reason (R): The scheme focuses primarily on creating individual assets for beneficiaries rather than community infrastructure. In the context of the above statements, which of the following is correct?
- A.Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
- B.Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
- C.A is true, but R is false.
- D.A is false, but R is true.
Show Answer
Answer: C
Assertion A is true as MGNREGA's primary aim is to provide wage employment. Reason R is false because MGNREGA focuses on creating both individual and community assets, with a significant emphasis on community infrastructure.
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