Government to Change MGNREGA Name, ‘Mahatma Gandhi’ to be Replaced with ‘Pujya Bapu’

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet is likely to approve three major and important decisions. These include changing the name of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) to ‘Pujya Bapu Rural Employment Scheme’. In addition, the Atomic Energy Bill and the Higher Education Bill are also expected to receive cabinet approval.

According to government sources, the name of the ‘Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA)’ is likely to be changed to ‘Pujya Bapu Rural Employment Scheme’. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is an Indian labor law and social security measure that aims to guarantee the ‘right to work’. It was initially called the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005.

This scheme is a flagship program aimed at improving the livelihood security of rural households. It provides a guaranteed job for at least 100 days in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual labor.

MGNREGA is one of the world’s largest work guarantee programs, launched by the Ministry of Rural Development in 2005. As of 2022-23, there are 15.4 crore active workers under MGNREGA. The scheme aims to address the root causes of chronic poverty through a rights-based framework. At least one-third of the beneficiaries must be women.

A crucial aspect of MGNREGA’s design is that it provides a legal guarantee to any rural adult to receive work within 15 days of demanding it, failing which an ‘unemployment allowance’ must be paid. Emphasis has been placed on strengthening the decentralization process by giving Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) a key role in planning and implementing these works. This Act empowers Gram Sabhas (village assemblies) to recommend the works to be undertaken, and at least 50% of the work must be carried out by them.