Arunachal Congress plans assembly siege Feb 7–15 to protest renaming MGNREGA as VB-G RAM G, citing threats to rural livelihoods.
APCC leaders announce statewide campaign and assembly protest against renaming MGNREGA, warning it could weaken rural employment rights (Photo: X)
The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has decided to intensify its agitation against the centres decision to rename the highly ambitious Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act(MGNREGA) with Viksit Bharat- Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025.
Speaking to reporters at Namsai district Congress office, APCC president Bosiram Siram on Monday said, "Congress workers will lay seige to the Arunachal Pradesh State Assembly between February 7 to 15 as per directive issued by the All India Congress Committee ( AICC).
It might be mentioned that the APCC has been protesting over the issue since the new act came into being by organisation of strikes and dharnas in the state capital Itanagar.
In order to reach out to the grass root level Congress workers spread all over the state the APCC has launched a massive MGNREGA Bachao Sangram under the leadership of Siram.
" The outreach program is aimed to create awareness among the congress workers and people of the state about the lacunae affects of the newly crafted VB-G RAM G," Siram said.
Twenty years ago Dr. Manmohan Singh's Government brought life to the constitutional Right to Work by enacting the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
Since then, MGNREGA has generated 180+ crore days of work, created almost 10 crore assets like village tanks and roads, and strengthened the Panchayati Raj system by empowering Gram Panchayats to decide village-level projects.
During crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the lifeline of the rural Indian economy.Siram said that instead of strengthening the existing MGNREGA the centre weakened several provisions within it, which will severely effect the rural population who were dependent upon it.
This the government did intentionally and on purely political grounds, the APCC president added. Advocate AK. Techi , VP, APCC, Chua Taye, GS, APCC, Gollo Nipo, Secretary, APCC, Minj Jerimoi Kring APCC East Siang Incharge were also present in the meeting.
