Dimapur, January 31: The Nagaland Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee (NPMCC) on Friday held an executive and organisational meeting under the theme “Save MGNREGA” at Congress Bhavan, Dimapur, with participation from Mahila Congress leaders and members from across Nagaland.
The meeting was chaired by Shikali Swu, General Secretary, NPMCC, and began with an invocation by Neojila Yim, Vice President, NPMCC.
Addressing the gathering, Neojila Yim highlighted the crucial role of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in ensuring livelihood security for rural and tribal women in Nagaland. She described the scheme as a legal right that guarantees employment and dignity, while expressing concern over what she termed its gradual weakening due to delayed wage payments, reduced workdays and the exclusion of vulnerable women workers.
The meeting also heard interventions from Kihoni Awomi, President of the Dimapur District Mahila Congress, along with several constituency Mahila Congress presidents. Speakers shared field-level experiences, highlighting economic hardships faced by women due to irregular implementation of MGNREGA.
Special guest and keynote speaker Lhingkim Haokip, General Secretary of the All India Mahila Congress and In-charge Northeast, stated that MGNREGA is a constitutional right and not a government concession. She criticised the Central Government over budgetary constraints, wage delays and administrative hurdles, which she said disproportionately affect women workers. Haokip also announced that the All India Mahila Congress, along with its state units, would launch a nationwide movement to safeguard the Act and demand timely wage payments and adequate budgetary allocations.
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During the meeting, the NPMCC adopted resolutions to organise grassroots awareness programmes on MGNREGA rights, document and escalate cases of wage delays and denial of work, mobilise women for peaceful democratic protests, and engage with MPs and MLAs to raise the issue in Parliament and the State Assembly.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Sentila Imchen, Vice President, NPMCC, followed by a press conference.
