Centre’s MGNREGA freeze pushes state to the brink

After West Bengal, it’s now Himachal Pradesh—another non-BJP-ruled state—facing the Centre’s ire, with Rs 461 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) unjustly withheld. This deliberate financial squeeze has plunged thousands of daily wage workers into severe distress, leaving many struggling to afford even basic meals.

Ironically, Himachal has consistently excelled in implementing MGNREGA, achieving 136 per cent of its targets for 2024-25. The scheme served as a lifeline during the COVID-19 crisis and continues to support over 7.16 lakh workers across the state. Yet, despite this stellar performance, wages have not been paid for over three months due to a funding freeze—an act that reeks of political vendetta.

The Centre justifies the freeze by citing delays in digital attendance via the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) and the alleged non-submission of utilisation certificates. However, Himachal’s Rural Development Minister, Anirudh Singh, has categorically denied any non-compliance. The stark reality appears to be that welfare schemes are being weaponised to punish opposition-ruled states. For a hill state still reeling from the devastating floods of August 2023, this is not just indifference—it is calculated cruelty.

The consequences are dire. MNREGA is not a luxury in Himachal’s rural economy; it is a necessity. With seasonal agriculture and scarce employment opportunities, daily wages often determine whether a family eats or starves. With payments stalled for over 90 days, families are falling into debt, hunger is rising and local economies are crumbling. Shops are shuttering, loans remain unpaid, and school dropouts are on the rise.

The geography of Himachal—with its steep terrain, scattered villages and erratic internet—makes full digital compliance nearly impossible. Yet the Centre has shown no flexibility. Instead, it has tightened the administrative noose. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has condemned the move, calling it politically motivated and discriminatory. His government’s repeated appeals to the Centre have been met with silence.

Already burdened by liabilities and forced to rely on overdrafts for routine expenses, the state government cannot shoulder this Rs 461 crore vacuum alone. The Centre’s refusal to release funds reflects not only political malice but a deep contempt for the federal spirit. MNREGA is a legal right, not a partisan favor.

This situation demands urgent national attention. Today, it’s Himachal. Tomorrow, it could be any state that dares to dissent. History will remember not just the silence of those in power—but the suffering of those silenced through starvation.

(The writer is a senior political analyst based in Shimla)

Himachal Tribune