Punjab's Legislative Showdown: VB-G RAM G Bill Sparks Controversy

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced a special Assembly session to address the controversial VB-G RAM G Bill, which seeks to replace the MGNREGA. The bill, passed amid opposition protests, has sparked criticism for altering a key rural employment scheme and removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from it.

In response to growing dissent, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has called for a special Assembly session to discuss the VB-G RAM G Bill. The legislation aims to replace the 20-year-old MGNREGA, a cornerstone of rural employment in India.

The bill was passed by Parliament despite significant opposition, as it proposes to guarantee 125 days of rural wage employment annually. Critics are particularly concerned about the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the existing scheme, seeing it as a move that shifts the financial responsibility onto states.

Mann's decision to convene a special session echoes the protests by various political factions, who claim that the new bill undermines the livelihoods of millions reliant on the MGNREGA. This legislative development sets the stage for an intense political debate in Punjab's legislative corridors.

(With inputs from agencies.)