Government Replaces MGNREGA with VB-G RAM G Bill 2025; Congress Protests Removal of Gandhi's Name

The Modi government is preparing to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with a new rural employment law. The bill, which is listed for discussion in the current winter session, is titled the ‘Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) [VB-G RAM G] Bill, 2025’. A copy of the bill was distributed among Members of Parliament on Monday.

The government claims that this new law will introduce a new framework for rural development aligned with the national vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’. Under the proposed law, the number of employment days for rural families will be increased from 100 to 125 days.

According to the provisions of the bill, the MGNREGA law, which was implemented in 2005, will be completely repealed. Once the new law is passed and approved by the President, only VB-G RAM G will remain in effect. After the law is passed, states will have six months to implement the new system, which will include digital and biometric registration.

The new bill does not set a fixed wage rate. Both the central and state governments will continue to determine wages at their level. The employment guarantee will be for 125 days, but it will be limited to public works defined by the government and available upon demand.

The bill also includes a provision that during the sowing and harvesting seasons, state governments may temporarily suspend government work to avoid labor shortages in the fields, ensuring that agricultural work is not disrupted.

This move by the government has been sharply criticized by the Congress party. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi raised questions, stating that the reasoning for removing Mahatma Gandhi's name is incomprehensible. She argued that changing the name results in unnecessary costs for the government, including the need to alter offices, documents, and stationery.

Congress leaders accuse the Modi government of renaming several old schemes and now doing the same with MGNREGA. The party insists that MGNREGA has been a "lifeline" for rural India, and removing its name and identity is not justified.

Now, all eyes are on the parliamentary debate. While the government is calling it a step to modernize and strengthen the rural employment system, the opposition is calling it a political move to change history and identity. This bill is expected to be a topic of heated debate in both Parliament and political circles in the coming days.