Congress to protest G RAM G Bill across Tripura on Sunday

Agartala, Dec 20 (PTI) The opposition Congress will hold demonstrations across Tripura on Sunday, protesting the Centre's move to replace the 20-year-old MGNREGA with VB-G RAM-G.

Senior Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman on Saturday said the BJP-led government at the Centre got the VB-G RAM-G Bill passed in Parliament, ignoring the sentiments of people who have benefited from the UPA-era MGNREGA.

"Congress has no problem with 'Ram' in the name, but the way Mahatma Gandhi's name was removed from the historic law is not acceptable. Not only was the name of the Father of the Nation removed, but the NDA government also snatched away the rights of crores of job card holders," he claimed.

Roy Barman said the VB-G RAM-G Bill has proposed to provide 125 days of work to each job card holder, and the fund will have to be provided by both the Centre and states at a 60:40 ratio.

"It means the state will have to pay more to implement the scheme. Many states are facing a financial crunch," he said.

Roy Barman said the Congress will organise rallies across the state at the block level to protest this.

"We believe that the people who have benefitted by the MGNREGA will join the demonstration," he said.

Parliament on Thursday passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) VB-G RAM G Bill, which seeks to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). PTI PS SOM