The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), the UPA government’s flagship job scheme that provides 100 days of work in a financial year to every rural household, will now be called the Mahatma National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
The new name will be unveiled on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on Friday, a rural development ministry official told HT.
Thursday’s cabinet approval paves the way for the government to bring an ordinance to adopt the new name, which will be ratified by Parliament during its winter session in November.
The name change is aimed at preventing state governments from taking credit for the scheme. The Centre has expressed concern over attempts by opposition-ruled states — particularly by UP chief minister Mayawati and her Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar — to publicise NREGA as their own programme by printing their pictures on the job cards.
The Congress is seeking a revival in both these states.