Oppn storms LS over MGNREGA name change, Priyanka Gandhi flags threat to employment guarantee
New Delhi, Dec 16: As the Lok Sabha reconvened on Tuesday, the opposition mounted a strong protest against the introduction of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G), 2025, which seeks to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The Opposition MPs raised objections over the renaming of the flagship rural employment scheme and demanded that the proposed legislation be referred to a parliamentary panel for detailed scrutiny.
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan introduced the Bill in the House, following which opposition members questioned the rationale behind removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from a landmark welfare scheme that has been in place for nearly two decades.
Leading the charge, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attacked the government over its move to replace MGNREGA, warning that the new Bill could "weaken" the original Act's guarantee of 100 days of employment for the poorest sections of society.
She also questioned what she described as the Centre's "obsession" with renaming long-standing schemes.
"MGNREGA was such a revolutionary Bill that when it was introduced, it was applauded by all political parties. This Bill plays a key role in strengthening the rural economy and gives 100 days of employment on demand," Priyanka said while speaking in the House.
She pointed out that the existing Act was demand-driven, with allocations rising in response to the number of people seeking work.
In contrast, she argued, the VB-G RAM G fixes allocations on a yearly basis and shifts additional financial pressure onto states, as only 60 per cent of the expenditure would be borne by the Centre.
"The fundamental principle of our Constitution is that power should be in the hands of every individual, and that same fundamental principle is present in the Panchayati Raj system. This Bill, this legislation that is being introduced, is against that fundamental principle. The provisions of this Bill, which weaken the right to employment, a legal right, are contrary to our Constitution," Priyanka said.
Amid loud sloganeering and repeated interruptions from both sides of the House, she also made an emotional appeal while defending the legacy of the scheme's name.
"Mahatma Gandhi was not from my family, but he is like family to me, and this is the feeling of the entire country," she said.
While firmly opposing the introduction of the Bill, Priyanka suggested that the government withdraw the proposed legislation and bring in a revised version, which should then be referred to a special committee for wider consultation and examination.
