PCC to launch more than two monthlong agitation programme to protest the replacement of MGNREGA by G Ram G scheme

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, January 8, 2026

Despite the assurances given by the NDA government in Centre that the MGNREGA programme is being only reformatted for higher benefits to the workers as well as to the government finances including elimination of visible and brazen corruption, the Congress is all set to launch a protracted against against the winding up of the MGNREGA all over the country. As part of this the Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee has also finalised more than a monthlong programme of agitation from January 10 to February 25 all over the state.

The decision in this regard was taken in a meeting of the PCC in Congress Bhawan in presence of senior party leaders like PCC president Asish Kumar Saha , MLA Sudip Roybarman, top tribal leaders and former MLAs Diba Chandra Hrangkhawal and Ashok Debbarma . Former PCC president and sitting party MLA Birajit Sinah who is preoccupied with an ongoing fair in his constituency, Kailasahar could not attend the meeting as could not former PCC president and sitting MLA Gopal Roy who was also busy with another programme in his Banamalipur constituency.

As per the programme of agitation there will be sit-ins, demonstrations, rallies and processions all over the state down to the Ward level of all the assembly constituencies to mobilise public opinion against the withdrawal of MGNREGA. There will also be an assembly ‘gherao’ programme between February 7 and 15th while the AICC will also hold zonal conferences to discuss the issue and decide upon polltical strategy and tactics vis-à-vis the protest programme.

Releasing a booklet on the defects in the new scheme that will deprive people of their legal rights, the PCC said that the reshaping of the MGNREGA scheme will take away the right of poor people to work and wages and will give away the right to contractors at the cost of people and the panchayats. Besides, the implementation of the new scheme will weaken state’s finances because the financiali burden of implementation of the scheme has partially transferred to the state governments. It also pointed out that over the past two decades since inception in 2005 the MGNREGA schemes was a legal guarantee for rural employment and earning for people belonging to the poor working class and it played a key role in protecting the purchasing power of people during Covid years at the rual level. “The track record of the NDA government in Centre is to ultimately close down this beneficial scheme and benefit the private businessmen like contractors by depriving the working class of people” said the booklet in its listed charge-sheet.

more news...