Kerala Assembly Demands VB-GRAMG Withdrawal, Restores MGNREGS
Kerala Assembly Demands VB-GRAMG Withdrawal, Restores MGNREGS
Kerala Assembly urges withdrawal of VB-GRAMG and restoration of MGNREGS, arguing the new scheme shifts costs to states and threatens rural livelihoods.
The Kerala Assembly on Thursday (February 5, 2026) passed a resolution demanding that the Union government restore the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) framework by withdrawing the VB–GRAMG. “VB-GRAMG entails severe financial burden on the States. With its introduction, the rights-based approach that was the essence of the existing (MGNREG) scheme has vanished,” said the resolution presented by Minister for Local Self-Government M.B. Rajesh. Under the new system, it falls upon the States to provide unemployment wages and compensation for delayed payment of wages, it said. The Centre would set a ‘normative allocation,’ 40% of which would be borne by the States, and the complete responsibility of all working days beyond this allocation has to be borne by the States. It is estimated that Kerala would incur an additional burden of ₹3,500 crore on account of this new condition. The resolution was passed amid Opposition protests in the House over the Sabarimala gold theft issue.
