VB-G RAM G Bill Replaces MGNREGA, Sparks Puducherry Protests
VB-G RAM G Bill Replaces MGNREGA, Sparks Puducherry Protests
Supporters hail more rural jobs under VB-G RAM G Bill, while critics warn of financial and decentralisation risks, as protests are planned in Puducherry.
The VB-G RAM G Bill replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and is pitched as a major reform of rural welfare, with funding listed at more than ₹1 lakh crore—far above the earlier scheme, where allocations rarely crossed ₹10,000 crore. The bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote and cleared by the Lok Sabha a day earlier, drawing strong protests from Opposition members who argued the government is dismantling a crucial rural lifeline. The government contends the new framework, designed to benefit farmers and the youth, will boost employment opportunities across rural areas.
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia defended the bill, saying it is in the country’s interest and that its implementation will hurt only those who engaged in corruption and stole wages meant for beneficiaries under the old MGNREGA. “The country is continuously progressing, but these people want to chain the country,” he said, asserting that the reform would unleash new job opportunities while the skeptics in the opposition would resist progress.
The Opposition, led by figures such as Rahul Gandhi, has criticised the VB-G RAM G Bill, with Gandhi describing it as anti-rural poor and vowing to press for its withdrawal. In a related debate, Priyanka Gandhi asserted that the bill weakens the social safety net currently relied upon by vulnerable rural communities. The government has countered that the reform preserves essential welfare goals while expanding reach and efficiency.
Concerns about the new framework extended to states such as Kerala, where the Chief Minister warned that the rural employment push could bring financial and decentralisation risks. Kerala’s government has urged caution and signalled that it will consider the Centre’s plan in light of fiscal realities and decentralised governance structures. Kerala’s leadership stressed the need to protect existing rural protections and ensure that any new system does not undermine local administration.
Meanwhile, political dynamics are shaping protest plans in Puducherry, where INDIA bloc has announced a demonstration on Dec 24 against the Centre’s VB-G RAM G move. The timing and location highlight the bill’s broader political sensitivities, even as supporters argue the reform will deliver long-term benefits by expanding livelihoods and reducing rural distress.
