Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh.
| Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.

Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh. File photo: AICC via ANI.

Congress General Secretary K. C. Venugopal and Congress MP Jairam Ramesh.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

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New Delhi:

The BJP lashed out at the Congress, accusing it of seeking foreign funds to stop Prime Minister Narendra Modi from coming to power in 2014. The party’s allegations came a day after US President Donald Trump questioned a move by former president Joe Biden’s administration to provide $21 million to India for “voter turnout” and questioned if they were “trying to get somebody else elected”.

The Congress has demanded a White Paper on the USAID funds to India and dubbed Trump’s claims as “nonsensical”.

BJP sources said during the rule of the erstwhile Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the government received $204.28 million, while the NGOs received $2114.96 million. This inflow slowed down to a trickle once the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power. The government funding dropped to $1 million from 2014 to 2015, though the funding of non-profits increased to $2579.73 million. 

Since its creation, George Soros’s OCCRP, which produced anti-government reports that were used by the Congress to target the NDA government, received $47 million, sources said.  

“After the Modi Government came to power, funding to the NGOs and other avenues in India increased significantly, showcasing how the focus has shifted from USAID being directly involved in governmental matters to funding anti-India/anti-national forums in India,” BJP sources claimed.

Jairam Ramesh, the Congress’s senior leader and communications in-charge, has hit back with a demand for a White Paper.

In a post on X, Mr Ramesh said: “USAID is very much in the news these days. It was set up on November 3, 1961. Claims being made by the US President are typically nonsensical to say the least. Even so, the Govt of India should bring out a White Paper at the earliest detailing USAID’s support to both governmental and non-governmental institutions in India over the decades”.

USAID is very much in the news these days.

It was set up on November 3, 1961. Claims being made by the US President are typically nonsensical to say the least. Even so, the Govt of India should bring out a White Paper at the earliest detailing USAID’s support to both…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) February 20, 2025

On February 16, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by US billionaire and SpaceX chief Musk, listed items on which the “US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent” and the list included “$21 million for voter turnout in India”.

On Thursday, Trump questioned the purpose of providing $21 million to India for “voter turnout”. “Why do we need to spend USD 21 million for voter turnout in India? I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected,” President Trump said.

Congress general in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh said, the government’s neglect of this crucial safety net exposes its indifference to rural livelihoods. File
| Photo Credit: ANI

The Congress on Sunday (February 2, 2025) lashed out at the government over keeping the MGNREGS budget stagnant and said the “neglect” of this crucial safety net exposes its indifference to rural livelihoods.

The allocation for the flagship rural employment scheme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Development Scheme (MGNREGS) was ₹86,000 crore, the same as last year.

In 2023-24, the allocation for MGNREGS was ₹60,000 crore, but additional funds were provided and the actual expenditure stood at ₹89,153.71 crore, the Budget document showed. No additional allocations for MGNREGS were made in 2024-25.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said that despite rising rural distress, the government has kept MGNREGA’s budget stagnant at ₹86,000 crore for 2024-26.

“This effectively represents a decline in the real (adjusted for price rise) allocations made to MGNREGA,” he said.

“To add insult to injury, estimates suggest that about 20% of the budget is paid towards clearing dues from previous years,” Mr. Ramesh said.

“This effectively reduces MGNREGA’s reach, leaving drought-hit and poor rural workers stranded,” he added.

It also precludes any increase in the wages paid to workers, Mr. Ramesh said.

“Even in this ongoing Financial Year, the minimum average notified wage rate was increased by only 7%. This is at a time when Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation is estimated to be 5%. MGNREGA is therefore ground zero for the national crisis of wage stagnation,” he said.

The government’s neglect of this crucial safety net exposes its indifference to rural livelihoods, Mr. Ramesh said.

The MGNREGS provides guaranteed 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to at least one member of every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. It keeps at least one-third of jobs for women.

In the Covid pandemic year of 2020-21, when MGNREGS proved a lifeline in providing employment in rural areas amid huge reverse migration in the lockdown period, ₹1,11,169 crore was spent on the scheme, according per previous budget documents.

Accusing the Modi government of perpetuating a policy of indifference to the plight of MGNREGA workers, the Congress on Monday (January 27, 2025) demanded that the Union Budget must increase MGNREGA wages and the Aadhar-Based Payment Bridge Systems not be made mandatory.

The Opposition party demanded that MGNREGA wages be increased with the goal of hitting ₹400 per day as a national minimum wage. In a statement, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said MGNREGA wages cannot be set by the arbitrary whims of the government.

He said a Standing Committee must be established to evaluate the need for changes in the wage rate. “The Aadhar-Based Payment Bridge Systems (ABPS) must not be made mandatory,” Mr. Ramesh said.

He also put forward the demand that the number of workdays under MGNREGA must be increased from 100 to 150 days. “One of the earliest indications of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi’s uncaring attitude and shortsightedness was his mockery of MGNREGA on the floor of Parliament in 2015,” Mr. Ramesh said.

In the years since, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, MGNREGA has conclusively demonstrated its utility as one of the few social security interventions that the government can execute, he said.

“From a pre-pandemic total of 6.16 crore households requesting work under the scheme in 2019-20, the numbers jumped by 33% to 8.55 crore in 2020-2021,” he said. “For these crores of families, MGNREGA was the only lifeline amidst the chaos of the government’s unplanned lockdowns,” Mr. Ramesh said.

“Amidst an ongoing economic slowdown, there continue to be 9.31 crore active workers that are employed under the programme as of January 2025. Close to 75% of these workers are women. Despite this reality, the government continues to perpetuate a policy of indifference to their plight,” he alleged.

As a share of GDP, allocations to MGNREGA have been reduced to 0.26% in 2024-25, Mr. Ramesh said pointing out that the World Bank recommends that at least 1.7% of the GDP should be allocated to this programme.

“Of the Budgetary allocations made to MGNREGA, estimates suggest that about 20% of the Budget is paid towards clearing dues from previous years,” he said. “The minimum average notified wage rate was increased by 7% in FY25- at a time when Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation is estimated to be 5%. The real wage increase is therefore a miserly 2%,” he pointed out.

“Between 2019-20 and 2023-24, close to four crore job cards were deleted. Meanwhile, only 1.2 crore job cards have been added in the last two years,” Mr. Ramesh said.

“Estimates from one State suggest that 15% of the deletions were wrongful and on January 1, 2024, the Central Government made it mandatory that all payments for MGNREGA must be through the Aadhar-Based Payment System (ABPS),” the Congress general secretary said.

“However, 27% of workers are ineligible for payment under the ABPS and their demand for work is not registered,” he said, adding that many also lose their wages despite doing work.

“The National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) is also required for workers to register attendance. However, glitches in the app, limited access to smartphones, and irregular connectivity have resulted in widespread prevalence of unregistered attendance, unrecorded work, and delayed wage payments,” Mr. Ramesh argued.

“During the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, MGNREGA workers from across the country raised these issues at the Jan Sunwai held at Ranka, Garhwa District, Jharkhand, on February 14, 2024,” he recalled.

Eight months later, these issues continue to persist — “a government-created human, economic and institutional tragedy,” he said.

Putting forwards the demands of the Congress, Mr. Ramesh noted that several of them have already found place in the Demand for Grants Report (2024-2025) put forth by the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.

“MGNREGA was envisioned as a demand-driven scheme, with workdays depending on the individuals applying for work rather than government Budgets. Especially given the worsening economic downturn, the Budget must make adequate financial provision to realise this vision,” Mr. Ramesh asserted.

“Amidst a decade-long crisis of stagnant wages, an increase in MGNREGA wages — as envisioned in the Congress Nyay Patra for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections — assumes renewed importance,” he said.

“The forthcoming Union Budget must increase MGNREGA wages, with the goal of hitting ₹400 per day as a national minimum wage,” Mr. Ramesh said.

The Congress leader also demanded that wages must be paid within the statutory period of 15 days and any delay in payment must be compensated. In FY 2013-14, the minimum average notified wage rate for Mahatma Gandhi NREGA was ₹155, while in FY 2024-25, the minimum average notified wage rate is ₹279.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

The Congress on Wednesday (January 22, 2025) claimed that it is becoming clear that the “disappointing” Quarter 2 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth numbers are not a blip but a clear slowdown in the economy and the post-pandemic bump is not broad-based enough to power long-term growth.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh cited an article in a newspaper which claimed that the fallout of limited job creation and muted wage growth can be seen in the greater recourse to debt. Mr. Ramesh said the article confirms the growing concerns on the Indian economy.

“It is becoming clear that the disappointing Q2 GDP growth numbers aren’t a blip but a clear slowdown in the economy. The Government’s attempts to pass the buck on to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) interest rate regime and foreign exchange market interventions is an attempt to escape responsibility,” he said.

The post-pandemic bump in growth was driven by a service exports boom and its knock-on effects – but this is not broad-based enough to power long-term growth,” Mr. Ramesh said, citing the article.

“The middle class is shrinking. The shift in the automotive industry is clear evidence: the low-priced, small car markets (the sub ₹10 lakh segment) earlier accounted for 73% of all car sales and now accounts for only 46% of cars sold. Growth is coming only from the premium end of the market, reflecting high inequality,” he said.

“The failure of Make in India and PLIs, the country’s mass unemployment crisis and the decade-long wage stagnation is beginning to reflect in increasing household indebtedness, poor macro-economic outcomes, and sluggish investment,” Mr. Ramesh said.

India’s economic growth slowed to near two-year low of 5.4% in the July-September quarter of this fiscal owing to poor performance of manufacturing and mining sectors, but the country continued to remain the fastest-growing large economy.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday (January 21, 2025) had also hit out at the Modi government over its economic policies and asserted that real development is when everyone progresses, there is a fair environment for business, a fair tax system and the income of workers increases.

Mr. Gandhi had announced the launch of a ‘White T-shirt Movement,’ championing the rights of the masses. He had accused the Narendra Modi government of turning its back on the poor. The Congress leader had announced the launch in a post on X and urged people to be a part of it.

“If you believe in economic justice, oppose rising wealth inequalities, fight for social equality, reject all forms of discrimination, and strive for peace and stability in our country, wear your white T-shirts and join the movement,” said the video voiceover posted by Mr. Gandhi on X.

The Congress has been attacking the government over its handling of the economy, claiming the issues of rising prices, decreasing private investment and stagnating wages are hitting the common people hard.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. File
| Photo Credit: ANI

The Congress claimed Sunday (January 19, 2025) the Modi government’s “retrograde policies” have broken the confidence of investors in India and converted “ease of doing business to unease in doing business”.

The upcoming budget must eliminate “raid raj and tax terrorism” to fix this, the Opposition party said.

It also called on the government to take action to protect Indian manufacturing jobs and take decisive action to shore up wages and purchasing power.

Congress General Secretary (In-charge, Communications) Jairam Ramesh said the Modi government has long proclaimed its desire to improve the “ease of doing business” in India but yet in the past decade “we have only seen an easing of private investment which has fallen to record lows and the easing out of businesspersons who have departed India in large numbers for foreign shores”.

“A byzantine, punitive, and arbitrary tax regime covering both GST and income tax – which amounts to sheer Tax Terrorism – is now the greatest threat to India’s prosperity and has contributed to an ‘unease of doing business’,” he said in a statement.

The biggest component of investment which is private domestic investment has been weak since 2014, Ramesh said, adding it was solidly in the 25-30 per cent of GDP range during Manmohan Singh’s tenure as PM.

“In the last ten years, it has collapsed to the 20-25 per cent of GDP range. This sluggish investment has been accompanied by a mass exodus of high-net-worth individuals. More than 17.5 lakh Indians have acquired the citizenship of another country over the past decade,” he said.

An estimated 21,300 dollar-millionaires left India between 2022 and 2025, he claimed.

“All this is happening for three reasons. Firstly, a complicated GST. According to former Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian, the GST which was proclaimed by the PM to be a Good and Simple Tax has up to a 100 different tax rates, including cesses,” he said.

The multiplicity of rates and confusion has facilitated alarming GST evasion of Rs 2.01 lakh crore, almost double the Rs 1.01 lakh crore reported in FY23, he said.

Mr. Ramesh claimed that 18,000 fraudulent entities have been uncovered with many more likely undetected.

“Secondly, despite claims to the contrary, Chinese imports into India continue unabated with a record trade deficit of $85 billion in 2023-24. This has damaged Indian manufacturing, especially in labour intensive sectors,” Ramesh said.

Thirdly, weak consumption and stagnant wages have reduced India’s consumption growth despite the free availability of personal debt, he said.

“According to Ministry of Agriculture data, real wages for agricultural labour grew 6.8 per cent per year under the UPA, and declined 1.3 per cent per year under the Modi government,” he said.

Citing the Periodic Labour Force Survey data, he said it shows that average real earnings stagnated between 2017 and 2022 across all workers — salaried, casual and self-employed.

“These retrograde policies have broken the confidence of investors in India. To fix this, the budget must eliminate raid raj and Tax Terrorism, take action to protect Indian manufacturing jobs and take decisive action to shore up wages and purchasing power, which in turn will incentivise Indian business to invest. Nothing less will do,” Ramesh asserted.

Sharing his statement on X, Mr. Ramesh said, “The 2025/26 Union Budget will be presented thirteen days from today. Here is our statement on how the Modi Government has converted the ease of doing business to unease in doing business – thereby depressing private investment sentiment. Radical action is necessary to fix the damage.”

The Congress has been attacking the government over its handling of the economy, claiming the issues of rising prices, decreasing private investment and stagnating wages are hitting the common people hard.