The Levy Economics Institute Drafts Open Letter to Indian Government
ANNADALE-ON-HUDSON, NY—The Levy Economics Institute of Bard College has drafted an open letter to the government of India and gathered signatures in defense of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the largest rights-based public employment program in the world. Spearheaded by Levy Institute President Pavlina R. Tcherneva, leading international experts have added their names to the open letter in support of the program, which is facing imminent repeal by the Indian government.MGNREGA, signed into law in 2005, is set to be replaced by the Viksit Bharat G RAM G Bill (2025), which would consolidate authority over the program in the central government while transferring greater and likely unsustainable obligations for administration and payment to the states. MGNREGA aims to guarantee the right to work, and generates over 2 billion person-days of work annually for approximately 50 million households in India. More than half of all workers in the program are women, and about 40 percent are from Scheduled Castes or Tribes. The early years of MGNREGA coincided with unprecedented rural wage growth, and studies confirmed the program’s positive effects on economic output and efficiency.
“Originally passed with unanimous parliamentary support, MGNREGA transcends political lines. Its foundational principle—that the national government must guarantee an employment safety net—affirms economic dignity as a fundamental right,” the letter states. Dismantling the program, the letter concludes, would be a “historic error.” To read the full letter, visit here.
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About the Levy Economics Institute
The Levy Economics Institute of Bard College, founded in 1986 through the generous support of the late Bard College trustee Leon Levy, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, public policy research organization. The Institute is independent of any political or other affiliation, and encourages diversity of opinion in the examination of economic policy issues while striving to transform ideological arguments into informed debate.
The Levy Economics Institute of Bard College, founded in 1986 through the generous support of the late Bard College trustee Leon Levy, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, public policy research organization. The Institute is independent of any political or other affiliation, and encourages diversity of opinion in the examination of economic policy issues while striving to transform ideological arguments into informed debate.
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About Bard College
Founded in 1860, Bard College is a four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences located 90 miles north of New York City. With the addition of the Montgomery Place and Massena properties, Bard’s campus consists of more than 1,200 parklike acres in the Hudson River Valley. It offers bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, and bachelor of music degrees, with majors in nearly 40 academic programs; advanced degrees through 13 graduate programs; nine early colleges; and numerous dual-degree programs nationally and internationally. Building on its 165-year history as a competitive and innovative undergraduate institution, Bard College has expanded its mission as a private institution acting in the public interest across the country and around the world to meet broader student needs and increase access to liberal arts education. The undergraduate program at the main campus in upstate New York has a reputation for scholarly excellence, a focus on the arts, and civic engagement. Bard is committed to enriching culture, public life, and democratic discourse by training tomorrow’s thought leaders. For more information about Bard College, visit bard.edu.
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This event was last updated on 12-19-2025
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