In a heated parliamentary discussion on the bill proposed to terminate MGNREGA, Congress mounted a formidable opposition. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, in the voice of resistance, took a stand against the 'Vikskit Bharat - Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) (VB-GRAMG)' bill, 2025, set to replace the existing MGNREGA law. Expressing her dissent, Priyanka Gandhi stated, "I firmly register my objection to this bill's reinstatement. The new legislation weakens the legal right to employment."
Priyanka Gandhi exclaimed, "The fixation on renaming every plan is beyond my understanding. Whenever this occurs, it costs the government financially. This bill should be retracted and a new proposition introduced. It should be referred to a standing committee. No bill should be proposed or passed based on personal ambition, whim, or bias."
Critiquing the government's 'obsession' with renaming initiatives, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra underscored that the VB-GRAMG bill centralizes power and undercuts previously guaranteed rights under MGNREGA. She questioned the rationale behind such unnecessary changes that incur considerable expense and weaken local governance.
'For the Last 20 Years...'
Priyanka Gandhi noted, "For the past two decades, the MGNREGA law has been instrumental in providing employment to rural India and fortifying the rural economy. This revolutionary legislation achieved unanimous agreement across all political parties in the house upon its inception. It ensures a hundred days of employment for our poorest brothers and sisters."
She elaborated that when they visit their constituencies, it is evident from afar who the MGNREGA workers are—the poorest of the poor. They are identified by their wrinkled faces and hands resembling stones due to the hard labor they perform. Under this law, the assurance of employment and authority is demand-driven, and fulfilling this demand is mandatory. Resource allocation reflects ground realities and needs.
'This Contradicts the Constitution...'
Priyanka declared, "The 73rd Amendment of the Constitution is being overlooked. Previously, through MGNREGA, village assemblies had the prerogative to set planning demands based on local conditions, but today this is being undermined. Our Constitution's ethos dictates empowerment in everyone’s hands, which is the essence of Panchayati Raj, and this bill opposes it."
She further stated that the new bill's administration weakens the legal right to employment, going against constitutional principles.
Priyanka Gandhi remarked, "Under MGNREGA, 90% of funding came from the center, but the new bill necessitates that most funding (60%) comes from states, reducing central allocations. Consequently, it imposes a significant economic burden on state economies. This legislation increases central control while diminishing responsibility. There's no mention of wage increments."
