Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh today reiterated that there will be no dilution of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, MGNREGA. The Minister said, the rural job scheme will continue to remain as one of the flagship schemes.

He was replying to a Calling Attention Motion in the Rajya Sabha on the reported move of the Government to introduce changes in the MGNREGs by reducing the wage component of the fund allocation and restricting the areas of work. Mr Singh emphasized that the rural job scheme will remain operational in all the 6,500 Blocks and will not be restricted to 2,500 Blocks as being alleged by some of the members.

Allaying the apprehensions of the members regarding budgetary cuts, he said Rs 34,000 crore have been provided in the current financial year budget. He said, the focus of the scheme is to ensure both wage employment generation and creation of quality assets.
Earlier, initiating the Calling Attention, D Raja of the CPI criticized the move of the government to introduce changes in the scheme.

Kanimozhi of DMK, nominated member Ashok S. Ganpathi and several other members also raised their concerns regarding diluting the essence of Act.