MNREGA to be replaced: Modi govt proposes 125-day work guarantee, drops Mahatma Gandhi's name
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The central government is going to make a historic change in the structure of rural India's most ambitious employment scheme 'MGNREGA'. The government has completed preparations to abolish the 'Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)' and bring a new law in its place. In this regard, a copy of a new bill has also been distributed among the Lok Sabha members. According to sources, the proposed new law has been named 'Developed India - Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural)' Bill, 2025. The objective of this bill is to align the rural development model with the national vision of 'Developed India 2047'.
The proposed bill provides significant relief for rural laborers. While the current MNREGA law guarantees rural families 100 days of employment per year, the new law aims to increase this to 125 days per financial year. This guarantee will be available to rural families whose adult members are willing to perform unskilled manual labor. The government believes this move will promote empowerment, development, and prosperity in rural India and will represent a major policy reform in the area of livelihood security. The introduction and passage of this bill in Parliament will repeal the MNREGA Act of 2005.
However, the removal of the name of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi from the scheme's name has sparked political tensions. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has reacted sharply to this change. She questioned the government's intentions, saying that Mahatma Gandhi was not only the greatest hero of this country but also of world history, so removing his name from the scheme is beyond comprehension. The opposition views this as an attempt by the government to change history, while the government is calling it a necessary step toward building the India of the future.
It is worth noting that MNREGA (formerly known as NREGA) is one of the world's largest employment guarantee programs, launched in 2005 by the Ministry of Rural Development. This flagship program provides a legal right to employment within 15 days of seeking work and provides unemployment allowance if this is not achieved. According to 2022-23 data, 154 million active workers are enrolled under this scheme. It remains to be seen how the government will ensure the passage of this new bill in Parliament, amid strong opposition from the opposition.