Lok Sabha approves G RAM G bill amid strong protests

The Lok Sabha on Thursday approved the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) or VB-G RAM G, bill, which seeks to replace the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, by a voice vote amid loud protests by the Opposition.

- Sanjay Maurya & Smriti Kak Ramachandran

The passage of the contentious bill, which seeks to rejig the federal rural jobs programme, was marked by chaos in the House, with Opposition parliamentarians demanding that it be referred to a standing committee. Shouting slogans against the government, several members entered the Well of the House, tore copies of the bill and flung the papers towards the Chair. Speaker Om Birla rejected the demand to send the bill to a standing committee, saying