Punjab govt to convene special Assembly session on Dec 30 on MGNREGA to VB-G Ram G switch

Chandigarh, Dec 20 (PTI) Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday said the government will convene a one-day special session of the state assembly on December 30 to discuss "how rights of the poor will be snatched" under the VB-G RAM G Bill.

The House will also discuss how the Centre is "finishing" the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act scheme (MGNREGA), he said.

The decision in this regard was taken by the Punjab Cabinet in a meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann here.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema accused the BJP-led Centre of attempting to finish the Constitution.

Referring to the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, Cheema said the state government was against the amendments being brought under the employment scheme.

For discussing how "rights of the poor in Punjab or the country will be snatched", a one-day special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha will be convened on December 30, Cheema said.

The amendments, being brought under the bill, will be discussed during the special session, Cheema added.

Though the Centre claimed that employment will now be given for 125 days, Cheema said the number of works have been reduced under the proposed bill, which will not ensure employment of even 10 days for the poor.

Parliament on Thursday passed the VB-G RAM G Bill, which seeks to replace the 20-year-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and guarantee 125 days of rural wage employment every year, amid vociferous protests by the opposition.

The VB-G RAM G Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote late on Thursday night, hours after the Lok Sabha cleared it amid strong protests by the opposition over the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the existing scheme, accusing the Centre of putting the financial burden on the states.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday had opposed the Centre's move to bring the VB-G RAM G Bill, alleging that the union government was trying to hit the livelihoods of the poor by changing the MGNREGS.

Mann had also said earlier that the Centre was contributing 90 per cent and states were contributing 10 per cent in the MGNREGA scheme.

"Now they say they have raised it to 125 days (of employment). The Centre will contribute 60 per cent, and states will pay 40 per cent. And they do not give funds to states. From where the states will bring money," Mann had asked.

The MGNREGA scheme guarantees 100 days of employment in a year.

Referring to the new scheme, Mann said work related to irrigation, construction of a school or a 'mandi' cannot be undertaken while claiming that "restrictions" have been imposed under it.

Now, the village ponds can be cleaned once in five years, he said.

First, they impose restrictions (on work), and then they say the number of days has been increased to 125 days, the chief minister said. PTI CHS SHS SHS