A policy dialogue convened at the Constitution Club of India brought together Members of Parliament, economists, activists and workers under the banner of the Joint Platform of Agricultural and Rural Workers’ Unions and the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha, to deliberate on the future of rural employment in India.
The meeting focused on concerns surrounding the recently introduced Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-GRAMG) Act, 2025, with participants calling for its rollback and restoration of a strengthened Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The platform described the new law as a “jumla” and an attack on workers’ rights.
MPs from seven political parties, including the Indian National Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, Communist Party of India, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Bharat Adivasi Party, attended the dialogue. Among those present were Jothimani, Sasikanth Senthil, Manoj Jha, Amra Ram, Rajkumar Raut, Arun Nehru, Sanjay Yadav, Sivadasan, Raja Ram Singh and D. Raja. The MPs expressed solidarity with MGNREGA workers and said they would raise the issue in Parliament and other forums. A joint letter demanding an immediate halt to the implementation of VB-GRAMG is set to be circulated among MPs and submitted to the Prime Minister.
Workers from Rajasthan and Punjab shared testimonies on how MGNREGA has supported rural livelihoods, while warning that the new Act could weaken decentralised governance. They argued that VB-GRAMG dilutes the role of states, panchayats and Gram Sabhas, undermining the participatory framework of MGNREGA. Participants also flagged the Union government’s refusal to disclose details of pre-legislative consultations on the Act in response to an RTI query.
With the new financial year approaching, speakers cautioned that uncertainty around implementation and budget allocations could trigger increased distress migration in rural areas.
The Joint Platform announced a nationwide strike by MGNREGA workers on May 15, 2026, and reiterated its commitment to sustained mobilisation. Key demands include the immediate rollback of the VB-GRAMG Act, expansion of employment guarantee to at least 200 days per rural household with a minimum wage of ₹700 per day indexed to inflation, withdrawal of exclusionary technological systems in attendance and wage payments, and restoration of Gram Sabhas as central institutions in programme implementation.
Participants emphasised that at a time of continuing rural distress, strengthening rather than weakening MGNREGA is essential for safeguarding livelihoods, reducing migration, and advancing socio-economic rights.
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