All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) on Monday staged a protest near the Madurai Collectorate demanding that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme be continued.

They said the guaranteed work should be extended to 200 days and a daily wage of ₹700 should be paid. The scheme has served as a crucial social security scheme, safeguarding the livelihoods of the rural poor.

The Central government was bringing new regulations. The new procedures would create significant difficulties for workers in securing employment, they said.

Following the protest, the office-bearers of the AIDWA and others submitted a petition to Collector.

Published - July 13, 2026 11:04 pm IST