New Delhi: The Lok Sabha passed the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): VB–G RAM G Bill, 2025, which seeks to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The bill was approved through a voice vote amid loud protests and sloganeering by Opposition MPs.
Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan defended the legislation, saying the new law increases guaranteed employment from 100 to 125 days per rural household annually and introduces a 60-day pause to ensure labour availability for agriculture.
He also highlighted reforms in work prioritisation and the Centre-state funding model.
Opposition leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, condemned the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name and argued that the bill shifts financial burdens to states and undermines support for rural workers.
The VB-G RAM G Bill will now be tabled in the Rajya Sabha for further consideration.
