Shailza Bhatia Charts Grassroots Agenda in Debut Meet as Gurugram Rural Mahila Congress Chief
‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ takes center stage as new women’s wing leadership unveils booth-level expansion blueprint for rural empowerment
GURUGRAM RURAL — Shailza Bhatia, the newly appointed President of Mahila Congress Gurugram Rural, convened her first formal district-level meeting on Thursday, centered on the All India Mahila Congress’s ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ campaign.
The meeting was chaired by District Congress President Vardhan Yadav, who was specially invited by the women’s wing for the occasion.
Attendance and Participation
The gathering included Mahila Congress workers Kusum Sharma, Ritu, Jyoti, Somwati, Arya Ojha, Divya, Abida, Juhi, Sharmila, Radha, Ashima, and Nidhi, among other activists from the district unit.
Key Announcements
In her address, Bhatia outlined the women’s wing’s position on MGNREGA, stating: “MGNREGA is the backbone of rural women’s economic security and self-reliance. Today it is being systematically weakened, directly impacting women’s employment and dignity. Mahila Congress views this not merely as a scheme but as a question of women’s rights—and we will fight to save it in every panchayat and every village.”
She presented a three-point organizational agenda for Mahila Congress Gurugram Rural:
- Strengthening the organization down to booth level
- Establishing active Mahila Congress units in every block and panchayat
- Launching awareness campaigns regarding women’s rights and MGNREGA implementation
District Leadership Response
District Congress President Vardhan Yadav congratulated the new Mahila Congress team and stated: “Under Shailza Bhatia’s leadership, the women’s organization in Gurugram Rural will move forward with new energy.” He characterized challenges to MGNREGA as “attacks on the future of poor and rural women” and said the Congress party would raise the issue at every level.
Meeting Outcomes
According to organizers, Mahila Congress workers participated in discussions and offered suggestions on organizational strengthening, increasing women’s participation at panchayat level, and strategies for spreading MGNREGA awareness.
The meeting was described by organizers as a significant step toward establishing the new leadership’s direction and priorities for the women’s wing in Gurugram Rural district.
Background
The meeting was held as part of the All India Mahila Congress’s broader ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ initiative, which focuses on defending the rural employment guarantee scheme. MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) provides guaranteed wage employment to rural households, with women constituting a significant portion of beneficiaries.
The gathering marked Bhatia’s first major organizational initiative since assuming the role of District President for Mahila Congress in Gurugram Rural.
