Tue Dec 16 08:07:07 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and rewrite of the text as a news article:
Summary:
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has criticized the government’s proposed bill to replace MGNREGA, arguing it weakens the guaranteed 100 days of employment for the poor and centralizes control away from local authorities. She also questioned the renaming of the scheme and its associated costs. The Congress party has strongly objected to the bill, claiming it undermines the original act’s rights-based guarantee and gives more power to the central government at the expense of states and workers. The new bill, called Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, proposes 125 days of wage employment but changes the funding structure and centralizes decision-making.
News Article:
Controversy Erupts Over Proposed MGNREGA Replacement: Gandhi Vadra Accuses Government of Weakening Social Safety Net
New Delhi – December 16, 2025 – A heated debate has erupted in Parliament over the government’s proposed bill to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched a sharp attack on the legislation, arguing that it will undermine the original act’s core principles and weaken the employment guarantee for the country’s poorest citizens.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Gandhi Vadra stated, “MGNREGA guaranteed 100 days of employment to the poorest of the poor, but the new Bill will weaken this right.” She also criticized the government’s penchant for renaming existing schemes, questioning the associated costs and perceived motives. “Firstly, the process of renaming schemes costs a lot of money to the country, so I don’t understand why they are doing it,” she said.
The proposed bill, titled the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, aims to provide a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment to rural households. However, the Congress party argues that the bill fundamentally alters the nature of the program, shifting control from local gram panchayats to the central government. Gandhi Vadra emphasized that gram panchayats previously decided on the type of work to be done, giving the local governments more autonomy.
Furthermore, the Congress has raised concerns about the financial implications of the bill, pointing out that the MGNREGA scheme was fully funded by the central government, but the new bill changes the funding structure. The new bill proposes a cost-sharing arrangement between the Center and States, dependent on the state.
The opposition party has also condemned the bill’s renaming, claiming it erases Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and contradicts the government’s claims of honoring the Father of the Nation. The Congress alleges that the proposed bill is a “conditional, Centrally controlled scheme stacked against the States and workers.”
The bill is scheduled to be introduced in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Winter session of Parliament, setting the stage for a contentious legislative battle.
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