LUCKNOW, March 2 -- The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) will launch a statewide agitation if the state government fails to release pending payments to MGNREGA workers within ten days.

"If the pending payments of MGNREGA workers are not released within 10 days, we will launch district-level agitations across the state and continue until the payments are made," said Ajay Rai, state Congress chief, at a press conference on Sunday.

"A total of Rs.1,600 crore is pending against one crore active job cards under MGNREGA. The last payment under MGNREGA was made on January 2. The BJP is trying to scrap MGNREGA and, in a bid to do so, is attempting to withhold even genuine payments. But the Congress will not allow this," said Rai and Tanu...