Controversial VB-G RAM G Bill Sparks Outrage Among Activists

Activists are vocally opposing the VB-G RAM G Bill, which aims to replace MGNREGA, claiming it undermines the rights of rural workers by shifting to a centralised, budget-limited scheme. Economists and politicians voice concerns over increased state burden and the dilution of the rural employment guarantee.

Activists are demanding the withdrawal of the VB-G RAM G Bill, introduced to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). They describe the Bill as an attack on rural workers' rights, altering the core nature of rural employment schemes.

At a press conference by the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha, experts and politicians expressed concerns about the Bill's centralised approach, which not only hikes the days of work to 125—perceived as hollow—but also shifts the financial burden to states. The Bill, currently in Lok Sabha, proposes aligning rural development with the 2047 national vision.

Economists argue the MGNREGA was a groundbreaking consensus-driven achievement, unlike the VB-G RAM G Bill. Activists warn against government control over implementation, which undermines the structure of a rights-based scheme, turning it into a symbolic gesture rather than a guarantee.

(With inputs from agencies.)