Jharkhand Congress holds protests against VB-G RAM G Bill

Ranchi, Dec 21 (PTI) The Jharkhand unit of the Congress on Sunday held demonstrations in several districts against Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, claiming the new law replacing MGNREGA was "against the interest of the poor".

Congress state media in-charge Rakesh Sinha said party workers staged demonstrations in Dhanbad, Palamu, Simdega, Latehar, Gumla and other districts.

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday gave her assent to the VB-G RAM G Bill, the Rural Development Ministry said.

The VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025, was passed with a voice vote amid protests in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, hours after the Lok Sabha cleared it.

Sinha alleged, "The Bill is a BJP-RSS conspiracy to dismantle a rights-based welfare scheme and attack Mahatma Gandhi's legacy. The BJP wants to omit the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi but the Congress will not allow it." He said the party will be fighting against the Bill from the streets to Parliament.

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 (MGNREGA) aims at enhancing the livelihood security of households in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year.

"The Modi government has bulldozed MGNREGA, attacking the livelihoods of crores of farmers, labourers, and the landless rural poor," he added.

The VB-G RAM G Bill seeks to replace the existing rural employment law, MGNREGA, and guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household per financial year. PTI SAN ACD