MGNREGA Era Ends: Parliament Passes VB-G RAM G Bill Amid Protests and Slogans
Parliament Passes VB-G RAM G Bill Replacing MGNREGA Amid Opposition Uproar: Parliament on Thursday passed the Vikas Bharat Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, replacing the 20-year-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), amid intense protests and disruptions by opposition parties. The new legislation guarantees 125 days of rural employment annually and was cleared by the Rajya Sabha late Thursday night after earlier approval by the Lok Sabha.
The passage of the bill witnessed widespread uproar in the Upper House, with opposition members staging walkouts, raising slogans against the government, and demanding withdrawal of the legislation. Several MPs tore copies of the bill during the proceedings, prompting Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan to issue stern warnings and caution members against approaching the treasury benches.
Opposition parties accused the government of undermining the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi by replacing MGNREGA and alleged that the new scheme would impose a significant financial burden on state governments. They demanded that the bill be referred to a parliamentary standing committee for further scrutiny. Following the passage of the bill, opposition MPs staged a 12-hour overnight sit-in protest outside the Constitution House within the Parliament complex.
Responding to a five-hour-long debate in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan defended the bill, asserting that it was necessary to address the shortcomings of the previous scheme. He accused the Congress of exploiting Mahatma Gandhi’s name for political gains and claimed that MGNREGA had been plagued by corruption during the UPA regime.
“During the UPA government, MGNREGA was rife with corruption, and adequate funds were not spent on procuring materials required for the assigned works,” Chouhan said while introducing the bill for passage. He added that the new mission would strengthen rural employment, promote village development, and help take the country forward.
Emphasising the government’s vision, the minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to make India a developed nation, and the development of villages is central to achieving that goal. Criticising the opposition’s conduct, Chouhan remarked, “I listened patiently to the opposition for hours. Making accusations and then walking out is like killing Mahatma Gandhi’s dreams and ideals.”
Despite the strong resistance from opposition benches, the government maintained that the VB-G RAM G Bill represents a more transparent, effective, and development-oriented approach to rural employment, marking a significant shift in India’s rural welfare framework.
ALSO READ: What Are The Side Effect Of Vitamin E Capsule
