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    Priyanka Gandhi Says Proposed VB-G RAM G Bill Will Dilute MGNREGA’s Core Guarantees

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    Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday criticised the Union government’s proposed legislation to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), warning that it would weaken the scheme’s foundational promise of guaranteed employment for rural households.

    Speaking to reporters during the Winter Session of Parliament, the Congress general secretary questioned the government’s move to rename and restructure long-running welfare programmes. She argued that frequent renaming not only diverts public funds but also creates confusion, without necessarily improving outcomes for beneficiaries.

    Priyanka Gandhi said MGNREGA ensured a legally backed guarantee of 100 days of work for the poorest sections, a right she believes is being diluted under the new Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G, Bill. While the government has projected an increase in the number of workdays under the proposed law, she questioned whether wage rates and timely payments would be improved in practice.

    She also pointed to declining budget allocations for MGNREGA over recent years, claiming that delayed payments have become a common complaint among workers across rural India. According to her, these issues remain unaddressed in the new Bill.

    Another major concern raised by the Congress leader was the shift in decision-making powers. Under the existing framework, local gram panchayats play a key role in identifying works and allocating funds. Priyanka Gandhi alleged that the proposed legislation centralises these powers, reducing the autonomy of local bodies and weakening grassroots decision-making.

    The Congress party has strongly opposed the Bill, arguing that removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the employment guarantee scheme undermines its rights-based character. The party has accused the government of replacing a legally enforceable entitlement with a centrally controlled programme that, in its view, disadvantages both States and workers.

    According to the draft legislation, the new scheme would offer a statutory guarantee of up to 125 days of wage employment per rural household each financial year. States would be required to align their own schemes with the new law within six months of its implementation, with funding shared between the Centre and States under revised ratios.

     

    The Bill is expected to be introduced in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Winter Session, setting the stage for a sharp political debate over the future of rural employment guarantees in India.

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