Save NREGA endorsement by 3 pm today Fwd: Save MNREGA
Vaishnavi Jayakumar (Inclusive India)
From: National Platform For The Rights of the Disabled <npr...@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec, 2025, 13:09
Subject: Save MNREGA
To: red-india-...@googlegroups.com <red-india-...@googlegroups.com>, disability-studies-india <disability-s...@googlegroups.com>
Please endorse latest by 3.00 p.m. today, December 16
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December 16, 2025
Press Statement
VB-GRAMG Bill: Assault on Right to Work & Livelihood of Disabled Workers
We strongly oppose the central government’s move to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the so-called Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 (VB-GRAMG Bill).
For persons with disabilities—who experience disproportionately high unemployment, landlessness and poverty—MGNREGA has been one of the very few avenues of wage employment in rural India. However, even this limited participation has declined over the years due to chronic underfunding, denial of work, digital attendance systems and the absence of reasonable accommodation at worksites. Though only a fraction, but during the financial year 2023-24 disabled people numbering 6,38,088 were provided employment under the scheme (Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2218 dated 13.12.2024).
Any dilution of MGNREGA will therefore translate directly into further loss of livelihood for disabled rural workers, forcing them into deeper poverty and dependency on disability pensions which are woefully inadequate.
The proposal to prohibit employment during vaguely defined “agricultural peak seasons” can be arbitrarily extended across Kharif and Rabi sowing and harvesting periods, effectively denying work for most of the year. The claim that the Bill will provide 125 days of work is entirely misleading; even under the existing demand-driven MGNREGA, average employment has remained below 50 days due to deliberate fund starvation.
MGNREGA, despite limitations, legally recognises persons with disabilities as workers entitled to employment, work according to ability and livelihood protection. The proposed VB-GRAMG Bill dilutes this right, legitimises exclusion, and threatens the livelihoods, dignity and survival of disabled rural workers. The proposed legislation also violates the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which mandates non-discrimination, reasonable accommodation and protection of livelihood.
We demand the immediate withdrawal of the VB-GRAMG Bill. We will work along with other democratic organisations to Save MNREGA and Reject VB-GRAMG and defend the right to work, dignity and survival of persons with disabilities.
1. National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD)
2. Paschimbanga Rajya Pratibandhi Sammilani
3. Vikalangalu Hakkulu Jatiya Vedike, Telangana
4. Differently Abled Welfare Federation, Kerala
5. Tamilnadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled & Caregivers
6. Haryana Viklang Adhikar Manch
7. Madhya Pradesh Viklang Adhikar Manch
8. Delhi Viklang Adhikar Manch
9. Gujarat Viklang Adhikar Manch
10.Tripura Pratibandhi Adhikar Mancha
11.Karnataka State Disabled & Caregivers Federation
12.Vikalangalu Hakkulu Jatiya Vedike, Andhra Pradesh