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Priyanka Gandhi said MGNREGA has been successful in providing employment to rural India and strengthening the rural economy for the past 20 years. She said that all political parties in the House gave their full consent.
Priyanka Gandhi opposes VB-G RAM G Bill proposed to replace MGNREGA
New Delhi: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday slammed the Government over the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural), VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025 which proposes to replace the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). She said that it stands to "weaken" the original Act's guaranteed 100 days of employment to the poorest of the poor.
The Congress leader said that she does not understand the Modi government's "obsession" with renaming schemes.
Priyanka Gandhi said MGNREGA has been successful in providing employment to rural India and strengthening the rural economy for the past 20 years. She said that all political parties in the House gave their full consent when this law was created. Under this law, 100 days of employment have been provided to the poorest people of the country.
Later while talking to the Media in the Parliament House Complex she said that "First, the process of renaming schemes costs a lot of money to the country, so I don't understand why they are doing it."
Secondly, MGNREGA guaranteed 100 days of employment to the poorest of the poor, but the new bill will weaken this right under MGNREGA, she said.
Though the government has said that there will be an increase in the number of working days. "But has the wage rate been increased?" She asked.
Accusation of ignoring the 73rd Amendment
Priyanka further said that when all of us public representatives go to our constituencies, we see MGNREGA workers from afar. The legal guarantee of employment that our poor brothers and sisters get under MGNREGA is demand-driven, meaning that wherever there is a demand for employment, 100 days of employment are mandatory. Along with this, the funds from the center are also based on demand. In this new bill, the center is allowed to pre-determine how much capital will be sent where. However, this new bill is ignoring the 73rd amendment of the Constitution. The rights of Gram Sabhas are being weakened in this scheme. The management of this bill is weakening the employment law. This is against our Constitution.
No mention of wage increase for workers
The Congress leader said that 90 percent of the grant in MGNREGA came from the center, but under this bill, it will now be 60 percent in most states. This will put a heavy burden on the economies of the states, especially those states that are already waiting for GST arrears from the center. Through this bill, the control of the center is being increased and the responsibility is being reduced. While the number of working days under the scheme may be increased, there is no mention of a wage increase.
The obsession with renaming every scheme
Priyanka Gandhi said that the obsession with renaming every scheme is incomprehensible. Every time this is done, the central government has to spend money. Such bills should not be passed in a hurry without discussion and without consulting Parliament. This bill should be withdrawn, and the government should introduce a new bill instead. She said that Mahatma Gandhi may not have been from her family, but he is like family to her, and this is the sentiment of the entire country. It should be sent to the Standing Committee for thorough discussion and scrutiny. And no bill should be introduced based on anyone's personal ambition, prejudice, or whim.
Accusation of attacking Bapu under the pretext of MNREGA
Earlier, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the government's move, saying that the Congress would oppose it. Kharge said that this is not just about renaming MNREGA. This is a BJP-RSS conspiracy to abolish MGNREGA. Erasing Gandhi's name on the centenary of the RSS shows how hollow and hypocritical people like Modi are, who offer flowers to Bapu abroad. Only a government that turns its back on the rights of the poor attacks MNREGA. The Congress party will strongly oppose any decision of this arrogant government against the poor and laborers in Parliament and on the streets. We will not allow the rights of crores of poor people, laborers, and workers to be snatched away by those in power.
BJP hates Gandhi - Pramod Tiwari
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said that since the inception of the Jan Sangh, the BJP has harbored hatred towards the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi; they worship Godse... You hate the Gandhi family, you hate the Father of the Nation, that is why you are changing the name of the scheme started during the UPA government under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, removing Gandhi's name. This country will democratically and with full force oppose this for its Father of the Nation, and the Congress party will strongly oppose it. Today they are removing Gandhi's name, tomorrow they will rename it after Godse.
Objectives of the New Bill
The VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025 will be introduced in the Lok Sabha today. The new bill ensures 125 days of wage employment to every member of rural households, instead of the existing 100 days, provided the adult members of the family are willing to perform unskilled manual labor. Its objective is to provide income security through a nationally coordinated development strategy, while simultaneously creating sustainable, productivity-enhancing rural assets.
Meanwhile, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will move a motion in the Lok Sabha to introduce the 'Sabka Bima Sabki Suraksha (Insurance Laws Amendment) Bill, 2025'. This proposed bill aims to further amend key insurance-related laws with the objective of strengthening India's insurance framework.
