NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sunday criticised the government for keeping the budget for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) stagnant, arguing that this neglect exposes its indifference towards rural livelihoods. The government has allocated Rs 86,000 crore for the flagship rural employment scheme in 2024-25, the same as last year. However, in 2023-24, the initial allocation was Rs 60,000 crore, but additional funds were later provided, bringing the actual expenditure to Rs 89,153.71 crore, according to the Budget document. No additional allocations have been made for 2024-25. In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, said that despite rising rural distress, the government has effectively reduced MGNREGS funding in real terms. “To add insult to injury, estimates suggest that about 20 per cent of the budget is paid towards clearing dues from previous years,” Ramesh said.
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