Archive · 1 Oct 2026
Rahul Gandhi Urges Madhya Pradesh to Fix Tribal Welfare Gaps
Rahul Gandhi visited a tribal village in Madhya Pradesh after reports that children had died amid illness and malnutrition.
He met families from the Baiga tribal community.
The state government says 32 children died, while Congress says the number was 43.
Gandhi said families had not received all the compensation they were supposed to get.
He also said people needed better hospitals, schools and welfare services.
He asked the government to give eligible families land titles under the Forest Rights Act.
He raised concerns that some people receiving one benefit were being denied Ladli Behna benefits.
He said changing the name of MGNREGA was less important than making the employment program work.
Rahul Gandhi visited Jagla village in Balaghat to meet Baiga families affected by child deaths, illness and malnutrition reports.
The Madhya Pradesh administration acknowledged 32 child deaths, while Congress claimed the number was 43.
Gandhi alleged gaps in healthcare, education, compensation, welfare delivery, rural employment and land rights.
He urged the government to issue tribal families land titles under the Forest Rights Act.
Gandhi also criticized the renaming of MGNREGA and called for the employment guarantee scheme to function effectively.
- Who
- Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and Baiga tribal families in Balaghat.
- What
- Gandhi met families after reports of child deaths and called for improvements in tribal healthcare, education, compensation, welfare delivery and land rights.
- When
- Thursday.
- Where
- Jagla village in Birsa block, Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh.
- Why
- He said the reported deaths reflected wider failures in delivering basic services and government benefits to remote tribal communities.
Congress and Rahul Gandhi
Madhya Pradesh administration and BJP government
Number of child deaths
Congress and Rahul Gandhi
Congress claimed that 43 tribal children had died.
Madhya Pradesh administration and BJP government
The state administration acknowledged 32 deaths.
Government response and compensation
Congress and Rahul Gandhi
Gandhi alleged that many families had been abandoned and that half had not received proper compensation or entitled benefits.
Madhya Pradesh administration and BJP government
The article reports the administration's acknowledged death figure but does not provide its response to Gandhi's allegations about compensation and welfare delivery.
MGNREGA priorities
Congress and Rahul Gandhi
Gandhi said the government should make the employment guarantee scheme functional rather than focus on renaming it.
Madhya Pradesh administration and BJP government
The article does not state the government's position on the renaming or functioning of MGNREGA.
- Location
- Jagla village, Birsa block, Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh
- Community
- Baiga tribal families
- State-reported deaths
- 32 children
- Congress-claimed deaths
- 43 children
- Land-rights demand
- Land titles under the Forest Rights Act
- Other concerns
- Healthcare, education, compensation, welfare benefits and rural employment
- Employment scheme
- MGNREGA