Yogi slams congress on MGNREGA claims

Launching a sharp attack on the Congress and the INDIA bloc over its opposition to the VB GRAM G law, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said those who “plundered” the country’s resources for decades and pushed the poor into hunger were now questioning a transparent reform aimed at strengthening rural India.

Addressing what he described as an important press conference of the NDA Government here, Adityanath said the briefing was convened to explain the newly enacted Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G), 2025, which has replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

“The VB-G RAM G Act will prove to be a milestone for India’s workers, farmers and rural development, and the Uttar Pradesh Government fully supports it and is committed to its effective implementation,” he said. The event was attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Brajesh Pathak and Keshav Prasad Maurya, and ministers from NDA allies, including the Nishad Party, SBSP and Apna Dal (S).

Slamming the Congress and “INDI alliance”, Adityanath said, “those who plundered the country’s resources for decades and pushed the poor and youth into hunger and migration are now questioning a transparent reform aimed at strengthening rural India.”

“This law (VB GRAM G) has been brought to take forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat.

It will guarantee employment, ensure livelihoods and create permanent infrastructure in rural areas,” Adityanath said, calling the legislation a milestone for village-centric development.

The chief minister said the press conference was necessary as those opposing the law feared that support for such transparent reforms would expose their past failures. “If the public starts asking why these steps were not taken when they were in power, their reality will be laid bare,” he said.

Adityanath alleged that MGNREGA had failed to create durable assets and was plagued by fake job cards, bogus attendance, delayed wage payments, weak social audits and widespread corruption. He said workers were often denied timely employment and payments, while farmers faced acute labour shortages during sowing and harvesting seasons.

Highlighting key provisions of the new law, Adityanath said the employment guarantee has been increased from 100 to 125 days, with weekly payments to workers and mandatory compensation in case of delays.

He added that the unemployment allowance has now been made a legal right if work is not provided on demand. To ensure availability of farm labour, he said, the law provides for a 60-day pause in scheme work during peak agricultural seasons, while ensuring the 125-day employment guarantee across the year.

Welcoming the enactment, Adityanath expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and the NDA, saying the reform would strengthen the rural economy, empower farmers and workers, and lay a strong foundation for a developed India. Adityanath further said the new law guarantees security for farmers and labourers, adding that those whose interests were affected by the discontinuation of “dig-and-fill” works were naturally uneasy with the reform. Explaining the framework of the law, the chief minister said four categories of works have been identified, which village heads will be able to select locally.

“Earlier, under MGNREGA, durable assets were rarely created. Now, the focus is entirely on permanent asset creation,” he said. The priorities include water conservation through measures such as rainwater harvesting and check dams; development of rural basic infrastructure like roads and drains; and creation of livelihood-related infrastructure, including open gyms, sports facilities and organised marketplaces that can generate income for villages.

Adityanath said technology has been given legal backing under the new law to ensure transparency and curb corruption. Biometric attendance, geo-tagging, satellite imagery, real-time mobile app monitoring and artificial intelligence-based oversight have been mandated, along with direct digital payments through DBT.

“There will be no scope for fake attendance or ghost beneficiaries. Payments will go directly into workers’ accounts, permanently shutting down the racket of siphoning funds in fake names,” he said.

Referring to alleged irregularities in the past, Adityanath cited the Sonbhadra case during the Samajwadi Party regime, where he said massive MGNREGA-related scams were detected and are still under CBI investigation. “Such practices were rampant earlier. This law puts an end to that culture,” he said.

He added that social audits will be conducted every six months under the new framework, supported by digital systems, time-bound grievance redressal and the provision of district-level ombudsmen.

The law, he said, also ensures fiscal discipline while maintaining federal balance, with a 60:40 funding partnership between the Centre and the states.

The chief minister said he believes the new law could bring more than Rs 17,000 crore to Uttar Pradesh.

“Earlier, funds often went to states where fake payments were rampant. Now, states with a larger labour force and genuine demand for work will receive more resources. Workers’ rights will increase, payments will be secure and timely, and farmers will get labour when they need it,” he said.

Adityanath stressed that employment under the new law would no longer be merely a relief measure but a foundation for development and self-reliance.

“Earlier, work often meant digging a pit and refilling it. That will not happen now. Every work generated will result in a permanent asset,” he said, adding that rural India would play a more active role in nation-building through the legislation.

Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for the law, Adityanath said those who never had the welfare of workers, farmers or rural India on their agenda were now trying to spread confusion and misinformation.

Highlighting the scale of the challenge, the chief minister said Uttar Pradesh has over 57,600 gram panchayats and more than 1.05 lakh revenue villages, with nearly 67-70 per cent of its population residing in rural areas.

“Uttar Pradesh is India’s food basket. Better coordination between farmers and labourers is essential. During the agricultural season, labour will be available for farming, and when there is no farm work, people can get up to 125 days of guaranteed employment,” he said.

Adityanath said the law would ensure fair wages for workers seeking employment, accelerate rural infrastructure development and address long-standing demands of villagers for roads, drains, interlocking works and playgrounds.

He added that infrastructure for disaster management, income generation, mandis, sports grounds, open gyms, markets, and even shopping complexes in high-density areas can now be created as permanent assets under the Act.