National Rural Employment Guarantee Act renamed after Mahatma Gandhi

The Government of India has renamed the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced this in New Delhi while addressing a meeting held to celebrate the golden jubilee the Panchayati Raj.

The Prime Minister’s announcement of renaming the NREGA comes amidst reports that many state governments ruled by non-Congress parties are taking credit for the success of the programme.

Manmohan Singh said that, in spite of the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution requiring that state legislatures should empower Panchayati Raj institutions, some states are not implementing the Panchayati Raj properly by depriving the rural councils of sufficient funds and manpower.

At the function, the prime Minister also declared the year 2009-10 as the year of the Gram Sabha (village councils).

Manmohan Singh said that renaming the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act would be a “befitting tribute” to the Father of the Nation. Mahatma Gandhi had staunchly advocated decentralisation of governance, or power, in order to make it more transparent as well as more effective in empowering the rural people.

The Panchayati Raj, the Prime Minister added, has become a crucial tool for carrying out the government’s welfare schemes since the system of decentralisation of power ensures that the common man gets a role in executing them. In spite of some problems at the initial stages, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act has produced the desired results.

Sonia Gandhi, president of the Congress and chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) told the convention marking the golden jubilee of the Panchayati Raj that the institution of Panchayati Raj is an effective instrument to bring about economic and social change in the country. She also recalled the contribution made by Rajiv Gandhi towards decentralisation of power.