Kapurthala: Under the Developed India Employment and Livelihood Mission, rural laborers will now get 125 days of employment instead of 100 days. As before, there is a provision for unemployment allowance if work is not provided on time. This was stated by Punjab BJP Vice President, former Chairman of the Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission, Chief Patron of Pathway Global Alliance and National President of British Ravidasia Heritage Foundation (United Kingdom), and BJP District President Ranjit Singh Khojewal at a press conference on Wednesday.
He questioned why Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is opposing this law made in the interest of the laborers. He said that the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab has completely failed to provide even 100 days of employment to the laborers under the MNREGA Act in the last three years.
Bagha and Khojewal said that according to the MGNREGA law, it is mandatory to provide work within 15 days of the worker's request. If work is not provided, unemployment allowance has to be given, but the Punjab government neither provides work on time nor pays unemployment allowance. The BJP leaders said that the Punjab government has completely failed to provide 100 days of employment to the workers in the last four years, even under the existing MGNREGA law, yet the Chief Minister is completely silent on this serious failure.
They said that according to the MGNREGA law, it is mandatory for the state government to provide work within 15 days of the worker's request. If work is not provided, unemployment allowance is required, but the Punjab government neither provides work on time nor pays unemployment allowance. The BJP leaders said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is forcibly getting signatures against this law by misleading and deceiving the MGNREGA workers.
The BJP leaders said that Arvind Kejriwal, who was released on bail after suffering a crushing defeat from the people of Delhi in the liquor scam, is now trying to create an atmosphere of rebellion against the central government through Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. This is not only tragic but also a serious threat to the country's federal structure.
BJP leaders questioned why Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is opposing a law made in the interest of the laborers? BJP leaders said that under Section 25 of MGNREGA, action should be taken against the responsible officers in such cases. BJP leaders asked the Chief Minister what action has been taken so far in the 23 districts of the state?
BJP leaders further stated that action under the SC Act is mandatory in cases related to Scheduled Caste laborers, but the Chief Minister should clarify how many such cases have seen action taken against the guilty officers. BJP leaders alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party government is not even conducting the mandatory social audit to hide the corruption and fraud happening in MGNREGA.
Social audits were not conducted in 6,095 Gram Panchayats in 2024-25 and 7,389 Gram Panchayats in 2025-26. BJP leaders said that the Punjab government has not yet issued any action taken report on 3,986 cases of corruption caught by the special audit unit, which clearly shows that corrupt individuals are being protected.
Furthermore, the recovery orders of Rs. 2.35 crore issued after investigation by the Lokpal/Ombudsman have not yet been implemented, which raises serious questions about the intentions and working style of the Aam Aadmi Party government. Targeting Punjab Congress leaders, BJP leaders said that Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi believe that there is corruption in MNREGA/NREGA and that they are rectifying it, so why are the Congress people making a fuss?