Bill to replace MGNREGA triggers political storm; Oppn questions motive

Opposition asks, 'What's the point of replacing Gandhi’s name?'

- MPOST BUREAU

The government drew ire of Opposition as it came under sharp criticism on Monday over a Bill that seeks to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and replace it with a new rural employment law, with Opposition MPs asking why the name of the father of the nation is being removed.

The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and A jeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-GRAM G) Bill, 2025, has been listed in the Lok Sabha in the supplementary list of business issued on Monday.

It seeks to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act of 2005 and establish a “rural development framework aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047”, by providing a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment in every financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to undertake unskilled manual work.

Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka, who chairs the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, said the panel made several recommendations, including that for increasing the number of workdays and wages under the MGNREG scheme.

“I don't know what problem they have with the name of Bapu, but they wanted to finish it because it was a Congress scheme. I head the Parliamentary panel, and we made so many recommendations to increase the number of days to 150, to increase the wages... the states have pending dues, West Bengal is not getting funds. They have brought a Bill, but why have they removed the name of Mahatma Gandhi?” Ulaka posed.