Punjab Chief Minister Mann Criticizes Center’s VB-G RAM G Scheme, Calls MGNREGA Changes an Attack on the Poor

Chandigarh, December 22, 2025: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann strongly criticized the central government’s decision to replace MGNREGA with the VB-G RAM G (Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin) scheme on Thursday. The Chief Minister called it a direct attack on the livelihood of the poor, saying the BJP government is removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name and destroying the core spirit of the scheme. Mann announced that the state government will call a special session of the Punjab Assembly in the second week of January to raise the voice of Punjabis on this issue. This decision was made after a meeting with top leaders including AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Chief Minister Mann strongly attacked the central government’s policies. He said, “The BJP government at the center is busy renaming railway stations and cities. I fear they might even rename the country as Deendayal Upadhyay Nagar.” Mann emphasized that change doesn’t come from just changing names, but from actual work. He gave an example that if a journalist is named Messi, would people come to Chandigarh to see him? The Chief Minister clarified that whatever they name the scheme, workers must receive their wages on time and it should reach the right person.

The Lok Sabha passed the VB-G RAM G bill on Thursday after nearly 14 hours of debate amid strong opposition. Under this new law, rural families will be guaranteed 125 days of employment per year instead of 100 days. However, the opposition alleges this change is only on paper. Actually, the scheme’s funding model has been changed – while the central government previously bore 100 percent of the cost, states will now have to contribute 40 percent. This 60:40 center-state fund sharing model could prove to be a major challenge for financially stressed states like Punjab.

AAP spokesperson Neel Garg called this bill a “planned deception.” He said the Modi government has consistently misled the public through hollow slogans and political drama, while systematically weakening welfare guarantees for the poorest sections of society. Garg clarified this isn’t just about changing the name or removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name, but that the center has actually sounded the death knell for MGNREGA and is trying to hide its anti-worker agenda behind TV debates and distractions.

Several significant changes have been made in the new bill that have become a cause for concern. First, demand-based budget allocation has been replaced with “normative funding,” where the central government will determine state-wise budgets based on predetermined criteria. Second, a mandatory 60-day “no work period” has been imposed to ensure availability of agricultural labor. Third, employment will only be available in areas notified by the central government, weakening the legal guarantee. Fourth, unemployment allowance will be mandatory if work is not provided within 15 days, but its implementation is doubtful. Experts believe these changes will convert a rights-based scheme into a discretionary scheme.

Various organizations across Punjab have started protests against the replacement of MGNREGA. On Wednesday, Punjab farm labor unions burned effigies of the central government in Bathinda, Moga, Muktsar, Faridkot, and Sangrur. Lakhman Singh Sewwala, General Secretary of Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, said the changes in the scheme will snatch away guaranteed employment in rural areas and it’s being brought to erase Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy. Labor leaders have warned that if this bill is implemented, even the last safety net for the rural poor will be eliminated.

Opposition parties also strongly opposed this bill in Parliament. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said this bill is not just about renaming MGNREGA, but is a conspiracy by BJP-RSS to destroy MGNREGA. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said if some political parties fail to respect national icons, her government will do so. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin also accused the BJP-led central government of weakening the livelihood of the poor through proposed changes in the rural employment guarantee scheme.

The MGNREGA scheme was established in 2005 under the UPA government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. This scheme has provided employment guarantee to crores of rural families in India over the past 20 years. From 2006 until now, approximately 11 lakh crore rupees have been directly given to rural families as wages and 1200 crore person-days of employment have been generated. An average of 5 crore families have received employment every year. The World Bank in its 2014 report called MGNREGA a “spectacular example of rural development.” Now questions have been raised about the future of this scheme.

According to Punjab government sources, in the special session to be held in January, the state government will demand that the center either withdraw the bill or address the states’ concerns. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann clarified that Punjab’s government will fight for the rights of the poor and raise the voice of Punjabis against this “atrocity.” He said that changing the name of the scheme is not important, but ensuring that rural workers get their rights and employment guarantee remains is what matters.