VB-G RAM-G bill to strengthen rural jobs, transparency: Chowna Mein

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Wednesday said the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (VB-G RAM-G) Bill is a bold, future-ready reform designed to strengthen rural livelihoods by placing villages, workers and farmers at the core of India's development.

Addressing a press conference here, Mein said the Bill, introduced under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, provides a stronger legal and financial framework for rural employment while ensuring transparency and accountability.

He termed it a "historic reform" that will transform rural India and empower grassroots communities.

The deputy chief minister categorically rejected opposition claims of any renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), saying the revised framework focuses on strengthening public welfare.

He noted that welfare laws are periodically updated by successive governments to meet changing needs, adding that the VB-GRAM-G framework represents an improved, technology-driven version aligned with the vision of a Viksit Bharat.

Tracing the background, Mein said MGNREGA was enacted in 2005 during the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh, following revisions to the Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana Bill, 2002. He noted that even at the time of its introduction, the scheme faced criticism from within the then ruling alliance.

He recalled that Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, regarded as the architect of MGNREGA, had questioned the restriction of employment to 100 days and its long-term impact on farmers.

"Former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh had also expressed reservations over the nature and outcomes of works under the scheme. Similarly, former Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had raised concerns about direct benefits to farmers and the availability of dedicated funds," Mein added.

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