In a significant legislative move, the Indian Parliament on Thursday approved the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, paving the way for a new rural employment guarantee framework. The new law seeks to replace the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and promises to guarantee 125 days of wage employment every year to rural households.
Passage Amidst Opposition Protests and Walkout
The Bill was cleared by the Rajya Sabha through a voice vote, just hours after it received the Lok Sabha's approval. The passage, however, was marred by intense protests from Opposition members. The primary point of contention was the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the flagship rural job scheme. Opposition parties accused the government of disrespecting the Father of the Nation and shifting the financial burden of the scheme onto states.
Demanding that the Bill be sent to a parliamentary panel for scrutiny, several Opposition members staged a walkout in the Upper House. The scene turned chaotic as some members tore pages of the Bill, prompting Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan to warn them against approaching the treasury benches. Later, opposition parties, including TMC MPs, held a dharna outside the Samvidhan Sadan in the Parliament complex, vowing to launch a country-wide agitation against the legislation.
Government's Defence: Fixing Shortcomings and Curbing Corruption
Responding to a five-hour discussion in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan strongly defended the Bill. He asserted that the new legislation was essential to fix the shortcomings of the old MGNREGA scheme, which he claimed was riddled with corruption during the UPA regime.
"This Bill is very necessary as it will help provide employment opportunities, help development of rural India and take the country forward," Chouhan stated. He accused the Congress of using Mahatma Gandhi's name for political gains, adding the name to the scheme only in 2009, years after its 2005 launch. "If anyone has murdered the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, it is the Congress which has done so," he charged, referencing the Emergency and alleged scams.
Chouhan presented data to highlight the NDA government's commitment, claiming that while the UPA released ₹2.13 lakh crore for MGNREGA, the NDA government has released nearly ₹8.53 lakh crore. He emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a developed nation hinges on rural development, and the new Bill focuses on creating permanent assets and developing model villages, moving beyond just wage payments.
Financial Outlay and Future Focus
Outlining the government's vision, Chouhan said the Bill was formulated after extensive deliberations, with a plan to spend ₹10-11 lakh crore on critical rural infrastructure. The funds will be directed towards:
- Water conservation projects
- Developing core rural and livelihood infrastructure
- Undertaking special works to mitigate extreme weather events
Following the Bill's passage in the Lok Sabha, Chouhan addressed a press conference at the BJP headquarters, slamming the Opposition's conduct. He termed their actions as "hooliganism" and said they had disgraced democracy, turning it into "bheedtantra" (mobocracy) and "goondatantra" (hooliganism).
The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill now awaits the President's assent to become law, setting the stage for a transformed rural employment guarantee architecture in India.
