New Delhi – The Lok Sabha passed the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission-Gramin (VB-G RAM G) Bill on Thursday amid protests from opposition members, who raised concerns about the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the rural employment guarantee scheme and demanded further scrutiny.
VB-G RAM G Bill Passes Amid Opposition Protests
Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated the VB-G RAM G bill represents a substantial improvement over the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which he characterized as “riddled” with corruption and inefficiency. Opposition MPs protested the bill’s passage, tearing copies of the draft law.
Chouhan defended the bill, asserting that Mahatma Gandhi’s name was not part of the original 2005 legislation and was added in 2009. He also responded to criticism from Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra regarding the government’s renaming practices, arguing that the Congress party has a longer history of naming places, schemes, and institutions after members of the Nehru-Gandhi family. He cited 25 and 27 schemes named after Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi, respectively, as well as numerous educational institutions bearing their names and those of Jawaharlal Nehru.
Chouhan claimed that the opposition’s protest, including the tearing of the bill’s copies, was detrimental to the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. He emphasized that the bill aims to move beyond simply paying wages and focus on creating permanent assets while increasing transparency.
The government has allocated over Rs 1.5 lakh crore for the scheme, with the central government contributing over Rs 95,000 crore. Chouhan stated the bill was developed after extensive deliberations, recognizing the need to utilize substantial funds for asset creation and improved employment opportunities, including water security through ponds and irrigation channels.
Speaker Om Birla noted that 99 MPs participated in the eight-hour discussion surrounding the bill. Following the bill’s passage, Chouhan denounced the opposition’s actions, characterizing them as transforming democracy into “bheedtantra (mobocracy) and goondatantra (hooliganism).” He also criticized Rahul Gandhi’s conduct, including his absence from Parliament during the legislative discussions.
Chouhan addressed concerns about the bill placing a 40% expenditure burden on states, stating that both the central government and states share responsibility for development. He pointed out shortcomings in MGNREGA, where some states prioritized receiving central funds over contributing their share for material expenses.
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