What Will Change With The G Ram G Bill (125 Days Employment Guarantee)
The "G Ram G Bill" has passed in Parliament, despite significant opposition from MPs. They were particularly upset about the name of the bill, which replaced Mahatma Gandhi's name with Lord Ram's name. The opposition also raised concerns that this bill would end the employment guarantee for the rural poor. Another point of contention was the funding structure, where most states will have to contribute 40% of wages as part of this welfare scheme. The opposition argued that many states would not have the financial resources to bear this burden, especially with an estimated wage bill of ₹56 crore.
Will Replace MNREGA
Congress MP P Chidambaram stated that this bill attacks the very guarantee it is supposed to provide. He said, "This bill ends the right to livelihood... It ends security. Why call it a 'guaranteed' bill? It doesn't guarantee anything. It doesn't provide rural poor people with any security or livelihood."
The new bill will become law after President Draupadi Murmu's signature. It will replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) initiated by the Congress-led UPA government.
Government's Defense
The government defended the new law by emphasizing the need to update the 20-year-old MNREGA, which was seen as ineffective and riddled with corruption. It pointed out that the number of minimum workdays would increase from 100 under MNREGA to 125 under G Ram G.
What is the G Ram G Bill?
The "G Ram G Bill" or the "Developed India Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural)" replaces MNREGA and guarantees legal employment for every rural household, providing at least 125 days of work. The jobs will be created and provided by the states and union territories, with the central government sharing the wage burden in a 40:60 ratio. If no job is provided within 15 days of requesting, a stipend will be provided by the government. The scheme also includes a 60-day 'no work' window.
Key Features of the New Law
The major points of discussion in the new bill include guaranteed workdays, the funding structure, and the increased control of the central government over fund allocation. The government introduced a "standard-based" system instead of the "demand-based" system, meaning the central government will now decide how much funding each state gets annually based on "objective parameters."
Guaranteed Workdays
Under G Ram G, the guaranteed workdays have increased from 100 days under MNREGA to a maximum of 125 days, but this comes with some conditions. The guarantee applies only to areas that are declared 'rural' by the central government, which is a provision carried over from MNREGA. However, in MNREGA, all rural districts were included, making it a nationwide scheme.
Funding Structure
Under MNREGA, the central government funded around 90% of the costs, including wages and raw materials. Under G Ram G, this changes, with states now required to contribute 40%, although states in hilly areas and the Northeast will only contribute 10%. Union Territories will continue to receive 100% funding from the central government.
Arguments For and Against the Bill
The government argues that the new funding structure will encourage states to take more financial responsibility for the scheme. However, the opposition believes this will place additional strain on already financially weak states, potentially reducing the scope of the scheme due to limited available work.
Work Allocation
While the overall structure may change, ground-level operations will remain the same. Work will still be allocated at the grassroots level by panchayats and program officers. However, the G Ram G bill will standardize certain processes, including regulating materials and designs for construction work and limiting the types of work allowed under the program.
Work Categories
The new law categorizes work into four areas: water security, rural infrastructure, livelihood-related assets, and climate resilience. Critics argue that this reduces the scope of work, which was previously determined by the local needs of the panchayats.