Siddaramaiah Targets Centre Over MGNREGA Repeal, Plans Protest

January 3, 2026

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has sharply criticized the Centre’s repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), alleging that the replacement law undermines rural employment rights and cooperative federalism. Siddaramaiah warned that the new Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB‑G RAM G) Act dilutes the core principles of MGNREGA and weakens guaranteed livelihood support for millions of rural households. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to suspend or roll back the new law amid growing concerns over its provisions.

Opposition to VB‑G RAM G Act

In a detailed letter to the Prime Minister, the CM argued that while the new act promises an increase in workdays from 100 to 125, it lacks assured planning and adequate funding, and effectively shifts from a demand‑driven, rights‑based model to a supply‑driven mechanism. Siddaramaiah highlighted that the Act’s funding structure — with the Centre’s share capped at 60% — places an increased financial burden on states and could leave many gram panchayats without funds despite genuine demand. He said these changes risk converting a statutory guarantee into a discretionary scheme.

Claims of Anti‑Federal Move

The Chief Minister also accused the Centre of sidelining constitutional principles by implementing the changes without adequate consultation with state governments. Siddaramaiah warned that the new framework undermines decentralized decision‑making, dilutes the role of gram panchayats and local communities in planning work, and threatens the rural employment ecosystem. He called the repeal of MGNREGA and the introduction of the new act an assault on cooperative federalism.

Nationwide ‘Save MGNREGA’ Campaign

In response to the repeal, Siddaramaiah and Congress leaders have announced plans for a nationwide “Save MGNREGA” protest campaign starting January 5, aimed at mobilizing public opinion and opposing what they describe as a dismantling of a crucial rural safety net. The campaign is intended to draw attention to potential adverse impacts on rural workers and stress the need to restore the original employment guarantee provisions of MGNREGA.

Political Context and Reactions

The repeal of MGNREGA and its replacement with the VB‑G RAM G Act has drawn criticism from various quarters, including activists, opposition parties and other state governments, who argue that the changes reduce employment certainty and distort the spirit of the original law. Protests have taken place in multiple states, with calls for urgent reconsideration of the legislation to protect rural livelihoods and maintain the legal right to work.

As the nationwide protest campaign gathers momentum, the debate over the future of rural employment guarantees and Centre‑State cooperation is expected to intensify in the coming weeks.