Congress Unions Push for Better Benefits for MGNREGS Workers

Fast Summary

• Employees’ unions linked to the Congress staged a protest in front of the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.
• The protest criticized the Left Democratic front (LDF) government for allegedly neglecting welfare measures for workers under the Mahatma Gandhi national Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
• Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan inaugurated the event and called for:

– Increasing MGNREGA workdays to at least 200 per year.
– Including workers under social welfare schemes like ESI (Employees’ State Insurance) and EPF (Employee Provident Fund) pensions.

• the protesters noted that most MGNREGA workers come from economically vulnerable demographics, with a majority being women.
• Prominent leaders such as INTUC Kerala President R. Chandrasekharan, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President sunny Joseph, MLA P.C. Vishnunath, and INTUC District President V.R. Pratapan participated.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The protest underscores ongoing concerns over insufficient welfare support for MGNREGA workers in Kerala. While the scheme is pivotal in providing livelihood security to rural households across India, demands like increasing workdays and adding social security provisions point towards gaps that may require policy enhancement at both state and central levels. This development raises questions about how effectively these issues can be addressed amid fiscal constraints.

from a broader perspective, ensuring fair benefits for this largely female workforce could promote economic equality while bolstering rural empowerment-key objectives of the scheme itself. Collaboration between governments at various levels will be critical to achieving sustainable outcomes without undermining budgetary frameworks.Read more: [Source Link]