Jharkhand BJP chief accuses Cong of misleading people on VB G RAM G scheme

Ranchi, Jan 6 (PTI) Jharkhand BJP president Babulal Marandi on Tuesday asserted that the VB G RAM G scheme, which replaced the MGNREGA, is meant for the welfare of villages and the poor, and accused the Congress of misleading the people about it.

Alleging that the MGNREGA had become a mechanism for corruption, Marandi said the new Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G scheme, was launched aiming at realising the vision of a developed India.

Speaking to reporters at Ranchi at the party headquarters, the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly said, "The Congress is itself confused, frustrated, and disappointed. Therefore, it is confusing and misleading the public regarding the VB-G RAM G scheme." "The party should remember that VB G Ram G means Antyodaya (upliftment of the poorest); it means welfare of villages, the poor, farmers, and labourers. VB G Ram G means Mahatma Gandhi's dream of Ram Rajya, and corruption-free rural development," added Marandi.

The former chief minister said that when MGNREGA became a "hotbed of fraud and corruption", and the situation did not improve despite several reform efforts, the central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to launch the new scheme.

"It is aimed at realising the vision of developed India 2047, developing basic facilities in rural India, and rapidly integrating villages into the mainstream according to today's needs," he claimed.

Jharkhand had set an example in the MGNREGA loot, the BJP leader alleged. "We all know how a senior IAS officer had to go to jail after a Rs 24 crore embezzlement was exposed in Khunti district. Scams in the MGNREGA have been exposed in almost all districts of Jharkhand," Marandi claimed.

In 2025-26, in 23 states, including 19 districts of West Bengal, work was shown on paper that did not exist on the ground while allegations of up to 40 per cent commission were also exposed, he alleged.

"The VB-G RAM G is a developed and expanded model of the 20-year-old MGNREGA. To fulfil the resolution of developed India 2047, it guarantees rural workers 125 days of work instead of the previous 100 days," Marandi said.

"This Act ensures more employment, transparency, planning, and accountability. This act includes an AI-based fraud detection system, a central and state-level monitoring committee, a GPS mobile-based monitoring system, weekly public disclosure, and a provision for social audits of schemes twice a year in every panchayat," Marandi claimed.

The BJP leader accused the Congress party of being troubled by the fact that corruption and looting are being stopped.

"They are troubled because labourers will get 125 days of work instead of 100 days. They are troubled because unemployment allowance will be given if work is not available. They are troubled because the word Ram is included in the scheme," said Marandi.

He said that BJP workers will take the merits of the new act to the public and expose the Congress party's "misinformation campaign". PTI ANB NN