VB-G RAM G Bill to Replace MGNREGA Passes Lok Sabha Amid Opposition Protest

The Lok Sabha on Thursday approved the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), commonly referred to as the VB-G RAM G Bill, which seeks to replace the UPA-era Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

The bill was passed by a voice vote amid strong protests from Opposition members, who accused the government of weakening a landmark rural employment scheme.

Introduced by Rural Development and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan on December 16, the proposed legislation aims to overhaul the rural employment framework by offering a new statutory guarantee of wage employment in villages across the country.

Lok Sabha Passage Marked by Opposition Protest

The passage of the VB-G RAM G Bill witnessed disruptions in the House, with several Opposition MPs entering the well, raising slogans against the government and tearing copies of the bill. Some members even flung the torn papers towards the Chair, forcing proceedings to continue amid uproar.

Despite the protests, the government pushed the bill through by a voice vote, asserting that the new framework would strengthen rural livelihoods and improve employment delivery.

Opposition Alleges Dilution of MGNREGA's Legacy

The Congress-led Opposition sharply criticised the move, claiming that scrapping MGNREGA amounted to an insult to Mahatma Gandhi and a dilution of the right to work in rural India. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the NDA government of undermining a programme that had played a crucial role in village-level socio-economic change.

"The Modi government has not only insulted the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, but has also crushed the right to work, which was instrumental in bringing about socio-economic transformation in India's villages," Kharge said in a post on X.

What the VB-G RAM G Bill Proposes

The VB-G RAM G Bill seeks to replace MGNREGA, which originally guaranteed 100 days of wage employment annually in rural areas. Under the earlier framework, states could extend work by an additional 50 days, while the NDA government had also raised the limit to 150 days for Scheduled Tribe communities in forest regions.

According to the government, the new legislation provides a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment every year. The Centre has earmarked ₹95,000 crore for the implementation of the scheme.

Government's Assurance on Rural Development

Defending the bill, Shivraj Singh Chauhan said the proposed law would ensure holistic village development and expand employment opportunities for the rural poor. He stated that the scheme is intended to "provide abundant employment to every poor person, uphold their dignity, and offer additional protection to the differently-abled, elderly, women, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes".

The government has maintained that the VB-G RAM G framework will modernise rural employment delivery while ensuring greater inclusion and financial support for vulnerable sections.