NEW DELHI: A day after Congress announced that the nationwide ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ will be conducted from Jan 8 to Feb 25, rural development minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan called the opposition party’s campaign a ‘Bhrashtachaar Bachao Sangram’ and accused Congress of spreading misinformation and falsehoods on Viksit Bharat- Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act.Addressing a press conference in the capital, Chouhan alleged that corruption was rampant in MGNREGA and claimed that ‘VB-G RAM G’ scheme is better and several steps ahead of MGNREGA. “MGNREGA had ceased to be a symbol of honest employment. More than 1.091 million complaints were registered through social audits conducted in gram sabhas,” he pointed out.The minister highlighted that contractors were carrying out work in the name of labourers, wages were withdrawn by showing machine-based work and the same roads were shown as ‘new’ year-after-year. He also highlighted that around 30% of workers were above 60; instances of 80-year-old “labourers” and fake attendance records were also found.”Over Rs 8.48 lakh crore has been spent on rural development so far under Modi govt, compared to only Rs 2 lakh crore during UPA regime,” Chouhan said. He also questioned if permanent assets were created in villages and the lives of villagers and workers truly improved because of money spent by the earlier regime.Chouhan said ‘VB-G RAM G’ is a “corruption-free, technology-driven and worker-centric reform”. The focus now will be on concrete development works such as water conservation, roads, schools, hospitals and natural disaster management. He said this is not the time for agitation but for cooperation and “Congress should stop misleading the nation and spreading falsehoods”.Meanwhile, Congress on Sunday announced the setting up of a coordination committee to “oversee, guide and monitor implementation of ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’, with senior party functionary Ajay Maken as its convenor. The nationwide campaign will demand withdrawal of VB G RAM G Act, restoration of MGNREGA as a rights-based law, and right to work and empowerment of panchayats. Senior Congress functionaries Jairam Ramesh, Sandeep Dikshit, Udit Raj and Priyank Kharge are members of the panel constituted by party president Malikarjun Kharge.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos”Sport Should Be Kept Apart From Politics” Tharoor On Mustafizur RowProbe Reveals Red Fort Blast Module Used ‘Ghost’ SIM Cards For Encrypted ChatsMatter Of Deep Concern: MEA Reacts To US Strikes On Venezuela, Urges Restraint’Lunatic Rulers’: Shashi Tharoor, Singhvi, Owaisi, Other Indian Leaders On US Strikes In VenezuelaIndian Army Raises Bhairav Special Force With Over One Lakh Drone Operatives For Modern WarfareCM Revanth Reddy’s Remarks In Telangana Assembly Sparks Row, BRS Slams ‘Filthy Language’‘If Trump Can Capture Maduro, Why Can’t Modi Bring Back 26/11 Mastermind From Pakistan’: Owaisi‘Avoid All Non-Essential Travel To Venezuela’: India Issues Advisory For Citizens After US Strikes”No Control Over Minority Violence In Bangladesh…”: Former Indian Envoy Slams Yunus Govt“Infamous For His Tour With Anti-National Propaganda”: BJP Rips Rahul Gandhi Over Vietnam Visit123PhotostoriesPCOS beyond periods: How it affects mental health and metabolismMood fixes to outsmart the Monday blues before 9 AM20 minutes visceral fat-burning exercise routine to try at home4 everyday foods that help babies learn to chew naturally10 cheapest markets in Mumbai for street shoppingBeyond the Birkin: 5 times Aishwarya Rai Bachchan proved the ‘Mom Bag’ is the ultimate luxury flex8 common Japanese words and phrases worth learningNayanthara to Tara Sutaria: Decoding first looks of ‘Toxic’s female cast – Who understood the assignment best?Vaginal health: NHS doc debunks popular myths women still believe6 places where the world’s deadliest snakes are found123Hot PicksUS strikes VenezuelaVande Bharat Sleeper TrainPublic holidays January 2026Gold rate todayDelcy RodríguezVivek RamaswamyBank Holidays JanuaryTop TrendingSan Francisco 49ersBrittany MahomesNoah Lyles and Junelle Bromfield Net WorthWayne Gretzky Daughter Net WorthSidney Crosby LifestyleLeBron James vs Stephen Curry Net WorthTom BradyLeBron James WifeCam ThomasCharlie Kirk
NEW DELHI: A day after Congress announced that the nationwide ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ will be conducted from Jan 8 to Feb 25, rural development minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan called the opposition party’s campaign a ‘Bhrashtachaar Bachao Sangram’ and accused Congress of spreading misinformation and falsehoods on Viksit Bharat- Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act.Addressing a press conference in the capital, Chouhan alleged that corruption was rampant in MGNREGA and claimed that ‘VB-G RAM G’ scheme is better and several steps ahead of MGNREGA. “MGNREGA had ceased to be a symbol of honest employment. More than 1.091 million complaints were registered through social audits conducted in gram sabhas,” he pointed out.The minister highlighted that contractors were carrying out work in the name of labourers, wages were withdrawn by showing machine-based work and the same roads were shown as ‘new’ year-after-year. He also highlighted that around 30% of workers were above 60; instances of 80-year-old “labourers” and fake attendance records were also found.“Over Rs 8.48 lakh crore has been spent on rural development so far under Modi govt, compared to only Rs 2 lakh crore during UPA regime,” Chouhan said. He also questioned if permanent assets were created in villages and the lives of villagers and workers truly improved because of money spent by the earlier regime.Chouhan said ‘VB-G RAM G’ is a “corruption-free, technology-driven and worker-centric reform”. The focus now will be on concrete development works such as water conservation, roads, schools, hospitals and natural disaster management. He said this is not the time for agitation but for cooperation and “Congress should stop misleading the nation and spreading falsehoods”.Meanwhile, Congress on Sunday announced the setting up of a coordination committee to “oversee, guide and monitor implementation of ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’, with senior party functionary Ajay Maken as its convenor. The nationwide campaign will demand withdrawal of VB G RAM G Act, restoration of MGNREGA as a rights-based law, and right to work and empowerment of panchayats. Senior Congress functionaries Jairam Ramesh, Sandeep Dikshit, Udit Raj and Priyank Kharge are members of the panel constituted by party president Malikarjun Kharge.
