The Congress on Friday hit out at the BJP-led government over the wage hike under MGNREGA, alleging that making a "measly" 2.16 per cent average annual increase in it shows the "anti-poor" mindset of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi, at a press conference, said PM Modi and his ministers are "mocking" the Congress' NYAY (minimum income guarantee) scheme but have "quietly squeezed" the funds meant for wages under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
"Pro-rich and anti-poor policies of the Narendra Modi government have created rampant and unimaginable rural distress in the past five years," she alleged.
"Under MGNREGA, the Modi government has given a measly increase of 2.16 per cent as average annual wage hike for 2019-20 which is the lowest ever," Chaturvedi said.
NREGA labourers in six states and Union territories will see no annual increase in their daily wages this financial year, she claimed adding, "The Modi government has not released any funds for wage hikes for the states of Karnataka, Kerala and West Bengal."