AIKS backs July 1 protests against MGNREGA changes
The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) has announced its support for the nationwide protest actions scheduled for July 1, 2026, against the proposed replacement of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the VB-GRAMG Scheme.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, AIKS said it would join demonstrations being organised by the Joint Platform of Rural Workers’ Organisations to defend what it described as the rural population’s right to employment and livelihood security.
The farmers’ organisation argued that MGNREGA has played a crucial role in providing employment opportunities and income support to rural workers, poor peasants, women, Dalits, Adivasis and other economically vulnerable sections. According to AIKS, any move to weaken or replace the employment guarantee programme could adversely affect the livelihoods of millions of rural households and impact the rural economy.
AIKS expressed concern over the proposed introduction of the VB-GRAMG Scheme, claiming that it would mark a departure from the legal guarantee of employment provided under MGNREGA. The organisation contended that instead of replacing the scheme, the Government should focus on strengthening it through higher budget allocations, timely wage payments, expanded employment opportunities and the removal of restrictions affecting workers.
The organisation further stated that the issue extends beyond agricultural labourers and directly affects small and marginal farmers whose livelihoods are linked to rural employment, wage levels and public investment in village infrastructure. It warned that weakening the programme could aggravate rural distress and negatively affect the broader agrarian economy. Calling for wider participation in the protests, AIKS urged its state units to join agricultural workers and other democratic organisations in the July 1 demonstrations. The organisation emphasized the need for unity among peasants and rural workers to safeguard employment rights and rural livelihoods.