New Delhi, 04 January (H.S.): Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Congress, accusing the opposition of waging a Corruption Protection War disguised as a Save MGNREGA Campaign.

Addressing a press conference, Chouhan declared that Congress has a problem with Gram (village), Kaam (work), and Ram (development), alleging the party seeks to preserve systemic graft in rural employment schemes.

Revolutionary Rural Employment Reforms Unveiled

Detailing the Modi government's transformative Viksit Bharat-Jai Ram Ji Scheme, Chouhan announced a legally guaranteed 125-day employment assurance, unemployment allowance for delayed work allocation, penal interest for payment delays, and a robust Rs 1.51 lakh crore budgetary allocation — with the Centre contributing Rs 95,600 crore. He contrasted this with the UPA era, noting the Modi government invested Rs 8.48 lakh crore in rural development versus UPA's Rs 2 lakh crore expenditure over 10 years.

Key Reforms Highlighted:

Decentralized Planning: Gram panchayats now independently decide village development priorities, ending Delhi's top-down diktats

Administrative Expenses: Increased from 6% to 9% (Rs 13,000+ crore) for timely payments to employment assistants, technical staff, and mates

FY 2026-27 Budget: Rs 1,51,282 crore earmarked

Permanent Assets: Focus shifts to water conservation, roads, schools, anganwadi buildings, hospitals, farm ponds, check dams, disaster management, and FPO structures — moving beyond mere earth-digging

Chouhan emphasized work scheduling aligned with peak agricultural seasons to balance farming and employment needs, safeguarding both farmers and labourers.

MGNREGA: Den of Corruption Exposed

Branding MGNREGA a corruption hub, the minister exposed systemic fraud: contractors performing manual labour, machine-operated work billed as human effort, same roads repaved annually for repeat payments, and 80-year-olds listed as active workers.

Social audits by Gram Sabhas uncovered 10.91 lakh+ complaints proving fake muster rolls and worker impersonation rackets.

Direct Appeal to Congress

Chouhan accused Congress of spreading lies, confusion, and rumours, urging the party to cease misleading the nation and instead thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this historic scheme benefiting rural workers and villages.

The new framework represents the most comprehensive rural employment overhaul since MGNREGA's inception, prioritizing transparency, asset creation, and genuine worker welfare over entrenched corruption networks.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar