Updated
Updated · The Hindu · Jun 6
KPRS Protests VB-GRAM G Plan, Seeks 200-Day MGNREGA Guarantee in Kalaburagi
Updated
Updated · The Hindu · Jun 6

KPRS Protests VB-GRAM G Plan, Seeks 200-Day MGNREGA Guarantee in Kalaburagi

1 articles · Updated · The Hindu · Jun 6

Summary

  • KPRS activists rallied outside the Kalaburagi Zilla Panchayat office on Saturday, submitted a memorandum, and demanded that the proposed VB-GRAM G scheme be withdrawn before a reported July rollout.
  • Sharanabasappa Mamshetty said replacing MGNREGA would dilute its legal employment guarantee and hurt rural labourers who rely on it as a livelihood safety net.
  • In Kalyana Karnataka, the group said MGNREGA has curbed seasonal migration to Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana during farm off-seasons.
  • KPRS urged the government to retain and strengthen MGNREGA by raising the annual guarantee from 100 days to 200 days, revising wages for inflation, and clearing pending payments.
  • The organisation warned it would intensify protests across the region if the proposed changes proceed, framing the dispute as a wider fight over rural employment protections.

Insights

Why are rural workers protesting a new scheme that offers more workdays than the one it is replacing?
What does replacing a rights-based job law with a budget-capped scheme reveal about India's vision for its rural poor?
With states now funding 40% of rural wages, will the promise of more employment become an empty one?