Punjab Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema announced that the opposition will formally register its protest in the Assembly against a new MGNREGA-related bill. Speaking at the start of the session in Chandigarh, he said the state will demand the bill’s withdrawal, citing concerns over the future of the rural employment scheme.

Punjab Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema has accused the BJP-led central government of undermining the MGNREGA scheme by cutting funds and shifting the financial burden onto states. He warned that the move threatens rural employment and pledged to fight for the rights of the poor.