MGNREGA has transformed India | Koliyadi, Sulthan Bathery | Wayanad
Channel: Rahul Gandhi
Date: 2022-07-02

MGNREGA has transformed India | Koliyadi, Sulthan Bathery | Wayanad

Addressed MGNREGA workers in Koliyadi, Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad and spoke about the transformational change the UPA scheme has brought in the country. MGNREGA was conceptualised, developed and implemented to protect, empower our people, channelise their energies in creating infrastructure, and building India with dignity. MGNREGA provided a floor, a minimum wage below which no one should be ever asked to work. 

The Prime Minister called it a "living monument of UPA's failures" in Parliament. I was shocked. The truth is the Prime Minister never understood the depth of MGNREGA and its impact on the Indian labour market. During COVID, when thousands of people were left without jobs, it was MGNREGA that saved them. The Prime Minister did not comment on MGNREGA then, and he doesn't comment about it anymore.  

The govt-panchayat partnership that was envisaged under MGNREGA must evolve with the times. BJP govt's flawed policies, like demonetisation and the flawed implementation of the GST has crippled the economy. The govt must consider increasing the number of days under MGNREGA to 200. The govt must seriously consider increasing the wage to ₹400 a day, bringing paddy cultivation under the ambit of this scheme. The Congress will work towards applying principles of MGNREGA to urban economy.

• Congratulating for your effective work in MGNREGA (0:00) 
You have done very effective work in MGNREGA in this panchayat & I would like to congratulate you for it. 5000 people got work here over the last 3 years.

• Impact of MGNREGA in daily lives (1:05)
You have been innovative, you have done water conservation, helped in building basic infrastructure as well. You of course see at your local perspective & you see the impact of MGNREGA in yours daily lives. 

• MGNREGA was developed & implemented by UPA Govt (2:40)
When the idea was first mentioned, I was one of the people who involved from the beginning there was a tremendous resistance to the idea of MGNREGA. The arguments that was put forward by the bureaucrats, by big business were basically that this is going to huge waste of money.

• MGNREGA - Idea of a minimum wage (4:28)
You know that cost, that price determines the dignity of labour & those of us who are pushing MGNREGA, pushing the idea that no Indian person should be allowed to work less than a certain wage, a dignified wage

• MGNREGA - The idea was to build India with dignity (6:14)
A dynamic changing idea that guarantees a floor below which nobody would be asked to work. The other part of MGNREGA was that we should use our people to build infrastructure. The idea was to build India with dignity. It was designed to protect our people and in no way was it a charity. 

• PM has not understood the dept of MGNREGA (8:47)
I was shocked in the Lok Sabha when the PM spoke against MGNREGA. He called it a living monument of the failures of the UPA and he called it a drain on exchequer and a charity for the people. It made me realise that the PM has not understood the dept of MGNREGA. 

• MGNREGA saved & protected lives during Covid (10:59)
I was watching during covid when thousands and thousands of people were left without work and MGNREGA saved them. PM did not comment about MGNREGA then.

• MGNREGA- A partnership between the Govt, people and the panchayats (12:37)
MGNREGA has to evolve with the times. Today with demonetisation, flawed GST our economy is crippled. So MGNREGA becomes even more important in providing protection to our people. 

• Increase the wage of labourers & MGNREGA program to include paddy cultivation (14:14)
The Govt should seriously listen to the demand of increasing the number of days under MGNREGA. Thinking of 200 days of employment. Seriously considering increasing the wage of labourers and you are suggesting 400₹ a day. 

• Apply principles of MGNREGA to urban economy (15:36)
It has to be linked to the current economic situation and I think we also have to think particularly in the congress about how to apply principles of MGNREGA to urban economy. 

• MGNREGA is like a shock absorber & can protect you from shock (16:35)
It’s important to realise MGNREGA is only one part of the solution. These are some of the challenges that India is facing today and none of these challenges will be solved through hatred and anger. 

• MGNREGA - Actually the work of building the Nation, but Media will not show this (19:23)
I’m very proud of the work you are doing here and this is actually the work of building the Nation. Our friends in media will show other things in media than showing the actual work of building the Nations. Please remember that we are here to support you in any way possible.