Chandigarh: The Punjab government has strongly opposed the change in the name of the MGNREGA scheme. A special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha has been called in January to raise its voice against the central government on this issue. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann shared this information on social media platform X.
The Punjab government is opposing the change in the name of the MGNREGA
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said in his post that the BJP government at the centre is making changes in the MGNREGA scheme that provides employment to the poor and labourers. He alleged that these changes are affecting the livelihood of poor families.
Special session to be called in the second week of January
Chief Minister Mann said that a special session of the Vidhan Sabha will be called in the second week of January to raise the voice of Punjabis against the alleged coercion of the central government. In this session, discussions on issues related to MGNREGA are likely to be held, and resolutions will be presented.
Information disclosed through social media
The Chief Minister wrote on X that the Punjab government will not compromise with the interests of the poor and the working class and will oppose any attempt to weaken public welfare programmes like MGNREGA.
ਕੇਂਦਰ ਦੀ ਭਾਜਪਾ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਵਲੋਂ ਗਰੀਬਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਮਜ਼ਦੂਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਰੋਜ਼ੀ-ਰੋਟੀ ਦਾ ਸਾਧਨ “ਮਨਰੇਗਾ” ਸਕੀਮ ਨੂੰ ਬਦਲ ਕੇ ਗਰੀਬਾਂ ਦੇ ਘਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਚੁੱਲ੍ਹੇ ਠੰਢੇ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਕੋਸ਼ਿਸ਼ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ.. ਇਸ ਧੱਕੇਸ਼ਾਹੀ ਵਿਰੁੱਧ ਪੰਜਾਬੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਆਵਾਜ਼ ਬੁਲੰਦ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਵਿਧਾਨ ਸਭਾ ਦਾ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਇਜਲਾਸ ਜਨਵਰੀ ਦੇ ਦੂਜੇ ਹਫ਼ਤੇ ਬੁਲਾਇਆ ਜਾਵੇਗਾ..
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) December 19, 2025
Seven special sessions convened in four years
The Punjab government has convened seven special sessions of the Vidhan Sabha during its four-year tenure. These include:
September 2022: A special session related to the no-confidence motion (initially scheduled for September 22, later held on September 27).
June 2023: Two-day special session (June 19-20), in which bills including the broadcast of Gurbani were passed.
May 2025: One-day special session on the Bhakra water dispute, discussion and resolution.
July 2025: Two-day special session (July 10-11) to introduce strict laws against sacrilege of religious scriptures.
September 2025: A special session (September 26-29) to address flood relief, amendments to compensation rules, and related bills.
November 2025: A special session (November 24) will be held outside Chandigarh for the first time on the occasion of the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. Signs of further intensification of the Centre-State dispute
The dispute between the Punjab government and the Centre over changes in the name and format of the MGNREGA Act is intensifying. There are signs of change. The upcoming special session could determine the state’s political direction on this issue.