New Delhi, Dec 17 (NationPress) Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Ram Gopal Yadav vehemently condemned the government's initiative to change the name of the MGNREGA to Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), abbreviated as VB-G RAM G, labeling it unnecessary and a slight against Mahatma Gandhi's legacy.

“The reality is, the legislation they are proposing already existed, so what was the need to strip Mahatma Gandhi’s name? When Gandhi was assassinated, his final words were ‘hey Ram’; he was not against Ram. Gandhi was more spiritually inclined than many… No one in this nation has made a more significant contribution in this regard, and possibly no one will in the future,” Yadav remarked.

In contrast, BJP MP Rajkumar Chahar lauded the action, stating, "There have been initiatives such as the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana and subsequently, MGNREGA. Even Mahatma Gandhi used to say ‘Ram Ram’ and recited ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram.’ Thus, the Congress’ incessant rhetoric is unethical. Enhancements have been made in MGNREGA to better its operations..."

The proposal, presented in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday by Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, aims to overhaul and rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), laying the groundwork for a new rural development strategy under the banner of “Viksit Bharat @2047”.

This initiative will ensure 125 days of guaranteed wage employment annually for rural families whose adult members voluntarily engage in unskilled manual labor, an increase from the existing 100-day provision under MGNREGA.

The government defends the renaming and updating of employment schemes as a continuation of policy evolution, referencing changes from the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana to NREGA, and later MGNREGA. Sources suggest that the VB-G RAM G Bill requires new legal frameworks and budgetary allocations, with a projected budget of Rs 7.50 lakh crore over the next five years. Rural workers will have to re-register under the new plan to access benefits.

This bill has elicited strong reactions from opposition leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who accused the government of trying to undermine the legacy and purpose of MGNREGA.

Government representatives counter that nearly 40 lakh families have already benefited from 100 days of work under the current scheme, demonstrating a commitment to rural employment.