Big process costs money: Priyanka Gandhi questions 'unnecessary' renaming of MGNREGA

New Delhi: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday questioned the Centre's reported move to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), arguing that such an exercise would lead to avoidable expenditure of public resources without delivering any tangible benefit to the people.

Her remarks came a day after reports said the Union Cabinet had approved a Bill proposing a new name for the flagship rural employment scheme and an increase in the number of guaranteed workdays.

According to these reports, MGNREGA is set to be renamed the 'Poojya Bapu Grameen Rozgar Yojna', while the annual guarantee of employment would be raised from 100 days to 125 days.

Speaking to reporters, Priyanka Gandhi said she was unable to understand the logic behind changing the name of a major welfare programme that was enacted in 2005 and has been in place for nearly two decades.

"I can't understand what mentality is behind this. First of all, this is Mahatma Gandhi's name, and secondly, when the name is changed, the government's resources are spent again on it, as everything needs to be renamed. This is a big process that also costs money, so what's the use of doing all this unnecessarily? I can't understand," she told reporters.

Congress MP Rajeev Shukla also supported Priyanka Gandhi's argument and termed the proposed move "unnecessary".

Speaking to IANS, Shukla said, "I saw Priyanka Gandhi raising the issue about why Mahatma Gandhi's name is being removed. Many people in Gujarat have the name 'Bapu'. This step seems unnecessary, but still, it is being brought up."

The criticism, however, drew a sharp response from the BJP.

BJP MP Brij Lal said that Priyanka Gandhi should support the decision, arguing that the renaming honours Mahatma Gandhi rather than diminishing his legacy.

"MGNREGA has been renamed after Bapu, and since he is revered as our Rashtrapita (Father of the Nation), this should be supported -- even by Priyanka Gandhi. However, she has a problem with MGNREGA because she is a fake Gandhi; she has a problem with why the word 'Gandhi' has been removed," Brij Lal told IANS.

MGNREGA currently guarantees at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to rural households whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

Any Indian citizen aged 18 years or above and residing in a rural area is eligible to apply under the scheme, with employment required to be provided within 15 days of demand.

Wages are credited directly into bank or post office accounts, with equal remuneration for men and women, and the programme is implemented across the country except in fully urban districts.