“MGNREGA routinely generates over 2 billion person-days of work annually for some 50 million households, with transformative equity: more than half of all workers are women, and about 40% are from Scheduled Castes or Tribes.” File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
We, the undersigned scholars, policymakers, lawyers, and civic actors (all friends of India), write to express profound concern regarding the imminent repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). We urge a recommitment to this landmark legislation, which stands as the world’s most significant policy operationalizing a demand-driven, legal right to employment.Originally passed with unanimous parliamentary support, MGNREGA transcends political lines. Its foundational principle — that the national government must guarantee an employment safety net — affirms economic dignity as a fundamental right. Empirical evidence underscores its impact. Published - December 18, 2025 07:15 pm IST
