Mgnrega

Centre to soon frame rules to integrate MGNREGA workers into VB-G RAM G

States will get a six-month transition window to notify and align with the new scheme once the Act is formally notified by the Centre

Centre, BJP counter Congress-led Opposition campaign against VB-G RAM G

As the Centre pushes VB-G RAM G to replace MGNREGA, the BJP and Congress lock horns over federalism, funding burdens and the future of rural jobs

Congress launches 45-day nationwide MGNREGA Bachao Sangram campaign

The Congress on Saturday launched its 45-day nationwide campaign -- MGNREGA Bachao Sangram -- against the repeal of the UPA-era rural employment law by holding press conferences at every district. The opposition party's agitation demanding the withdrawal of the VB-G RAM G Act and restoration of MGNREGA as a rights-based law in its original form, the right to work, and the authority of panchayats, will continue till February 25. Press conferences were held at all district headquarters on Saturday, highlighting the manner in which MGNREGA was repealed and replaced by the VB-G RAM G Act in the Winter Session of Parliament. This will be followed by a day-long fast and symbolic protests at the district headquarters on January 11. "Today, the Indian National Congress is launching the MGNREGA Bachao Sangram with a press conference at each of the District Congress Committee offices across the country. "The Congress is committed to seeing this struggle through until we secure the restorati

Congress to launch 'Save MGNREGA Movement' in Assam from Saturday

The Congress will launch its Save MGNREGA Movement' in Assam on Saturday as part of a nationwide agitation against the VB-G RAM G Act, the new rural employment scheme, a party leader said. All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of Assam Manoj Chauhan said the party will continue its agitation until the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission Gramin Act (VBG RAM G), which has replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), is withdrawn. "The new Act has effectively removed the guaranteed employment that workers earlier enjoyed under MGNREGA and is an attempt to snatch away several constitutional rights. In this context, the Congress has intensified its agitation against the move across the country," Chauhan said here on Thursday. As part of the nationwide protest, the Save MGNREGA Movement' will be launched in Assam from January 10 with press conferences at district headquarters, he said. "District Congress ...

Congress to launch nationwide 'MGNREGA Bachao Sangram' from Jan 10

The Congress on Saturday announced a nationwide 'MGNREGA Bachao Sangram' from January 10 to February 25 to demand the withdrawal of the VB G-RAM-G Act, and restoration of MGNREGA as a rights-based law, the right to work, and the authority of panchayats. Addressing a joint press conference, Congress general secretaries K C Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh said through the new VBG RAM G Act, the Centre has ensured complete centralisation as employment will no longer be a right under the new Act, which will be challenged in court. On whether the states ruled by the INDIA bloc constituents would not implement the new Act or oppose it, Venugopal said the Congress would hold consultations with all the alliance partners on the way forward. The Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Bill, or VB-G RAM G, was passed with a voice vote amid protests in the Rajya Sabha on December 18, hours after the Lok Sabha cleared it. On December 21, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to t

VB-G RAM G marks a shift from rural insurance to managed investment

The decisive test of VB-G RAM G will be whether the programme continues to act as a stabiliser in bad times

Punjab govt's move against VB-G RAM G Act unconstitutional: Shivraj Chouhan

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said the move to bring a resolution against the VB-G RAM G Act in the Punjab assembly was undemocratic and against the basic spirit of the Constitution, which reflected "blind opposition" politics. Addressing a press conference here, Chouhan said it is the Constitutional responsibility of states to abide by Parliamentary laws. The AAP government on Tuesday brought a resolution against the VB-G RAM G Act in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha and accused the BJP-led Centre of trying to finish the MGNREGA. Punjab Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond tabled the resolution in the House for discussion during the one-day session of the assembly. Chouhan targeted opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, saying he lives in a "world of imagination" and has no connection with the realities of the country. "Speaking out whatever comes to one's mind is not responsible politics," Chouhan said. He was referring to Gandhi's recent claim that

Punjab's AAP govt brings resolution in Assembly against VB-G RAM G Act

The AAP government on Tuesday brought a resolution against the VB-G RAM G Act in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha and accused the BJP-led Centre of trying to finish the MGNREGA. Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond tabled the resolution in the House for discussion during the one-day session of the assembly. Sond said that the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G, Act will severely impact below-poverty-line families, Scheduled Caste communities, and rural labourers who depend on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for survival. Sond alleged that the Centre wanted to "finish" the MGNREGA, and demanded its restoration. According to the resolution, the state assembly deprecated the VB-G RAM G Act, which it said takes away the right to guaranteed wages/employment from poor labourers, women, and lakhs of job card-holding families of the state. It recommended that the state government take up the

States will gain ₹17,000 crore due to VB-G RAM G, says SBI paper

The paper has taken seven criteria and divided them into equity and efficiency. To simulate the hypothetical scenario, it takes seven parameters and assigns weights to balance both equity and efficien

Centre 'attempting to dilute' MGNREGA, alleges Congress veteran A K Antony

Veteran Congress leader A K Antony on Sunday accused the Centre of "attempting to dilute" the basic principles of MGNREGA and gradually dismantle the programme. He alleged that it is a clear evidence of an attack on social justice, and called for a strong protest through Gandhian methods against such moves. Antony was speaking after hoisting the party flag at the KPCC office here and receiving a guard of honour from Seva Dal volunteers as part of the celebrations marking the 141st foundation day of the Indian National Congress. According to the former Defence Minister, the present situation in the country is not conducive to celebrate the Congress foundation day, and it is time to reflect on Gandhian methods of struggle to strongly protest nationwide and to protect India. Those at the Centre are attempting to glorify Godse instead of Gandhiji and are dividing the people instead of following the Gandhian path. He further alleged that a regime which considers Savarkar as a national

Congress to launch 'MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan' from Jan 5, says Kharge

A nationwide campaign was needed against the repeal of the rural employment scheme MGNREGA, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Saturday, pointing to the three farm laws that the government was eventually forced to repeal following strong opposition against it. Speaking at the Congress Working Committee meeting here, Kharge also said that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was a "well-planned conspiracy" to limit democratic rights. He said the meeting was being held at a time when the democracy, Constitution and citizen's rights were under serious threat. He said the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was a visionary legislation of the UPA government, which was appreciated across the world. The scheme was named after Mahatma Gandhi due to the impact it had, Kharge said. "The Modi government has, without any study, evaluation or consultation with states and political parties, repealed the law. This is just as they did with

Scrapping MGNREGA devastating attack on poor, PM acted alone: Rahul Gandhi

Gandhi said the UPA-era MGNREGA was not merely a work programme, but a rights-based development framework recognised internationally

Hold awareness meetings on G RAM G law: Centre to gram panchayats

According to an official letter issued a few days ago, the gram sabhas should ensure active participation of villagers, workers, women, SC/ST households and other vulnerable groups

Best of BS Opinion: NCLT courts must fix institutional gaps

From tribunal capacity and procedural certainty to tanker seizures that could hit India's economy, today's Best of BS Opinion also looks at Budget-impact laws, AI agents, and a book on sanctions

Three Bills and a Budget: How the winter session impacts future budgets

Three laws passed in Parliament could boost central revenues, reshape GST cess flows, shift MGNREGA costs to states and create new budget headroom ahead of the 2026-27 Union Budget

Name changer or game changer? MGNREGA replaced with 125-day promise

President Murmu clears the Viksit Bharat Rozgar Act, raising guaranteed rural workdays to 125 and overhauling funding norms, seasonality rules, and budget limits

MGNREGA and the weight of change reignites debate over implementation

The proposal to rename the rural employment scheme, raise the number of guaranteed workdays and alter its cost-sharing structure has reignited debate over its implementation and intent

SAD chief Badal demands rollback of VB-G RAM G, says it will impact poor

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday demanded that the Centre withdraw the VB-G RAM G Act, saying it will adversely impact the poor and put additional financial burden on states. Badal also demanded that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme be restored. The former deputy chief minister's remarks came a day after President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, which replaces the MGNREGA and has a provision for 125 days of wage employment for rural workers. Addressing the media in Amritsar, Badal said the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) ensured 100 days of employment and it was completely funded by the Centre. Referring to the VB-G RAM G Act, he said, "The government should withdraw its decision as it will directly impact the lives of the poor." He also criticised the government's decision to drop Mahatma

Congress announces public agitation campaign to repeal abolition of MGNREGA

On Sunday, Jairam Ramesh said MGNREGA's core character has been altered and announced that the Congress Working Committee on December 27 will finalise a nationwide action plan

Priyank Kharge claims G RAM G Act weakens MGNREGA's rights-based framework

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday strongly criticised the Union government's VB-G RAM G act 2025 that replaced MGNREGA, claiming that changes in the new legislation weaken and undermine the previous act's core promise as a rights-based rural employment programme. In a post on social media platform 'X', Priyank Kharge said the act would gradually make the scheme untenable by transforming it from a demand-driven legal entitlement into a supply-driven arrangement, thereby stripping citizens of their right to demand work. He observed that while the Centre would retain most decision-making powers, states would be forced to shoulder the bulk of the financial and administrative burden. "Much has been spoken about the VB-G RAM G Bill. But beyond everything else, these changes will slowly make the scheme untenable and eventually kill the idea of a rights-based rural employment guarantee," Priyank Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, said in his post. The minister,