The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), launched by the UPA government in 2005, created a strong foundation of social security in rural India. Under this scheme, every rural household was given a legal guarantee of 100 days of employment per year. Over the past two decades, this scheme has provided relief to millions of families from migration, unemployment, and economic insecurity. Now, the central government has proposed replacing this scheme with a new law, named VB G RAM G.
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The government argues that rural needs have changed over time, and employment schemes cannot be limited solely to wage employment. Through the new mission, livelihoods, infrastructure, and disaster management will also be linked to employment.
Increase in Employment Days and Timely Payments
The biggest announcement in the new bill concerns increasing the number of employment days. While MGNREGA guaranteed 100 days of work annually, VB G RAM G proposes increasing this to 125 days. The government says this will bring stability to the income of rural families.
Along with this, the payment system is also proposed to be made stricter and more time-bound. According to the proposal, it will be mandatory to pay wages within one week to a maximum of 15 days of the completion of work. If payment is not made within the stipulated time, there is also a provision for providing an unemployment allowance to the beneficiary.
New Scope and Priorities of Work
The work to be undertaken under VB G RAM G is proposed to be divided into four broad categories. These include works related to water conservation and water security, development of rural infrastructure, livelihood-related infrastructure, and works that enhance disaster preparedness.
The government claims that these works will be selected in a way that meets the long-term needs of rural areas. It will also be ensured that such work is not carried out during the peak agricultural season, so that the agricultural activities of farmers and farm labourers are not affected.
Emphasis on Transparency and Accountability
The new bill emphasises the extensive use of technology to strengthen transparency. The scheme claims to prevent fraud through biometric attendance, geotagging, and digital records. In addition, provisions have been made for establishing grievance redressal mechanisms at different levels to ensure the timely resolution of workers’ problems.
Major Change in Funding Pattern
While under MGNREGA, the central government bore the entire cost of wages for unskilled labourers, the new mission proposes a new cost-sharing model. In the VB G RAM G scheme, the central and state governments will share the expenses in a 60:40 ratio for general states.
For the northeastern and Himalayan states, this ratio is 90:10, while for Union Territories, the central government will bear the entire cost. The proposed scheme is estimated to cost approximately ₹1.51 lakh crore annually, of which the central government will contribute around ₹95,692 crore.
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Signs of Political Conflict in Parliament
The introduction of the bill has intensified political controversy. The government has issued a whip to its MPs, instructing them to be present in the House, clearly indicating that passing the bill is a priority for the government. The opposition, however, is calling it an attempt to weaken the safety net for the rural poor. In the coming days, this bill is likely to witness heated debates both inside and outside Parliament.
