The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has expressed “profound outrage and grave concern” over what it describes as “alarming reports alleging instances of unauthorized and illegal deductions” from MGNREGA funds meant for rural beneficiaries across Nagaland.
In a statement issued by its Communications Department, the NPCC condemned the Rural Development (RD) Department of the state for what it calls a “deplorable abuse of power.” The statement follows recent revelations, particularly a “damning expose” by the Kacharigaon Phevima Village Council on June 7, 2025, which brought fresh attention to what the NPCC says is “a disturbing, long-standing pattern” of malpractice.
The core of the allegation concerns the illegal diversion of MGNREGA funds through what beneficiaries allege are mandatory “commissions” or “cuts” demanded by officials of the RD Department. The Congress unit stated that this “insidious practice of extortion… has become an entrenched part of the department throughout Nagaland.”
“These funds represent the lifeblood of rural aspirations,” the NPCC said, adding that MGNREGA allocations are not just financial disbursements but a critical source of “grassroots-level infrastructure development” and “a vital instrument to provide social security to the most marginalized communities.”
The Congress accused the ruling government of enabling a “deep-rooted culture of corruption,” stating that the alleged extortion is “a natural extension” of systemic rot. The party called on the Minister in charge of Rural Development and the state government to take “immediate and decisive action to put an end to this rampant corruption and ensure that those involved are thoroughly identified and penalized in accordance with the law of the land.”
Describing the misuse of MGNREGA funds as criminal, the party said: “We demand accountability and justice for the rural people of Nagaland, who are being robbed of their rightful entitlements due to this criminal exploitation.