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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the state’s Karmashree employment scheme will be named after Mahatma Gandhi, criticizing the Centre for removing Gandhi’s name from MGNREGA and asserting the state’s commitment to employment guarantees.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made a significant political and symbolic announcement on December 18, 2025. She stated that the state government's employment guarantee scheme, 'Karmashree,' will now be named after Mahatma Gandhi.
Targeting the central government, Mamata Banerjee said that removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from MGNREGA is extremely shameful. She clearly stated that if the central government cannot honor the Father of the Nation, the West Bengal government will take on this responsibility.
The Chief Minister's statement comes at a time when the central government has passed a bill in the Lok Sabha to rename the MGNREGA scheme to "Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural)" or VIB-GRAM.
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This scheme was previously launched during the UPA government as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Mamata Banerjee strongly criticized this decision at a business and industry conclave without directly naming the BJP.
Addressing the business and industry conclave, Mamata Banerjee said that she feels ashamed as an Indian citizen that the country is now forgetting its Father of the Nation.
She said that Mahatma Gandhi is not just a name but a symbol of the ideals of employment, self-reliance, and social justice. Continuing this philosophy, the West Bengal government has decided to associate its Karmashree scheme with Gandhi's name.
The Karmashree scheme is the West Bengal government's state-level employment guarantee scheme. Under this scheme, the government claims to provide employment to people in rural areas for up to 75 days.
The Chief Minister alleged that the central government has withheld funds due to the state under MGNREGA, forcing the state to launch its own separate scheme.
Mamata Banerjee said that the state government has increased the number of workdays under the Karmashree scheme using its own resources and aims to extend it to 100 days.
She stated unequivocally that even if the central government withholds funds, the state government will ensure that people get work. She said, “We are not beggars; we will provide employment to our people on our own.”
This decision is being seen not merely as an administrative step but as a political and ideological message. Mamata Banerjee has made it clear that her government will continue to prioritize the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and programs related to social justice, regardless of the central government's policies.
