Lok Sabha passes VB-G RAM G Bill amid ruckus; Opposition tears copy of bill

NEW DELHI: The VB-G Ram G Bill 2025 (Viksit Bharat- Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission- Gramin) amending the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was passed in the Lok Sabha. This was done despite strong opposition from the opposition. The opposition tore up the bill during the protest. Meanwhile, Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan clarified in the House that the name of Mahatma Gandhi was not changed and that it was a new scheme. He said that he would not give in to the opposition's noise.

The Centre claimed that the VB-G Ram G Bill is a plan to achieve the goal of a developed India by 2047. The employment guarantee scheme was implemented in 2005 when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister. Till now, the wages were entirely from the Centre. Now 40 percent has to be borne by the state. The Centre will provide 90 percent for Himalayan states.

The Centre will provide the entire amount to union territories without legislative assemblies. The number of working days will be increased from 100 to 125. The Centre will decide the areas of work. The work will be provided in areas such as water security, basic rural infrastructure, livelihood-related infrastructure, and mitigation of the impact of natural disasters.

Meanwhile, the joint committee of Farmer Workers' Unions has informed that it will organize a nationwide protest against the bill on December 19. CPI leader Annie Raja alleged that while there are problems with the name of the bill, the bigger problem lies in its content.