Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President K. Selvaperunthagai on Monday criticized the Narendra Modi-led BJP government for slashing budgetary allocations for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and imposing unnecessary conditions that hinder its implementation.He pointed out that the budget allocation for MGNREGS has been reduced from ₹98,468 crore in 2021-22 to ₹86,000 crore in 2024-25, severely impacting the rural economy. Additionally, he highlighted that ₹4,315 crore in wage arrears is still pending nationwide, affecting 1.09 crore workers in Tamil Nadu alone since November 27, 2024.
“Workers are being forced to migrate to cities due to non-payment of wages. The government should allocate ₹2.72 lakh crore—equivalent to 0.18% of GDP—to ensure 100 days of work for all under the scheme,” Selvaperunthagai said.
He further accused the BJP government of using mandatory Aadhaar seeding as a tactic to reduce the number of beneficiaries, making it difficult for rural workers to access employment. “The current allocation will only provide 42 days of work per year instead of the guaranteed 100 days,” he stated, condemning the Union government for attempting to dismantle MGNREGS, which plays a crucial role in supporting India’s rural economy.