Amid Opposition Uproar, Parliament Passes G RAM G Bill to Replace MGNREGA

Amid sustained protests by opposition parties in both Houses of Parliament, the Centre on Thursday succeeded in pushing through the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) Bill, popularly referred to as the G RAM G Bill. The legislation seeks to replace the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National rural employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and promises up to 125 days of guaranteed wage employment annually for rural households.

Defending the move, Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the new law was designed to address long-standing structural weaknesses in MGNREGA and make rural employment schemes more effective, transparent, and outcome-driven.

The Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha through a voice vote following a heated debate that stretched past midnight, just hours after it was cleared by the Lok Sabha. Opposition parties strongly objected to the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the legislation and accused the government of shifting the financial burden of the scheme onto state governments.

Scenes of chaos unfolded in the Upper House as protesting MPs shouted slogans, tore copies of the Bill, and demanded its withdrawal. Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan issued stern warnings to several members, urging them not to approach the Treasury benches after some MPs staged a walkout during the passage of the Bill.

Following the Bill’s approval, opposition parties staged a dharna outside Samvidhan Sadan within the Parliament complex. Leaders claimed the new law posed a serious threat to the rural economy and announced plans for a nationwide agitation. MPs from the Trinamool congress went a step further, holding a 12-hour sit-in protest on the steps of Samvidhan Sadan.

The opposition also demanded that the legislation be referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee for detailed scrutiny, arguing that a sweeping reform of a major welfare scheme deserved broader consultation.

Replying to the nearly five-hour-long debate in the Rajya Sabha, Shivraj Singh Chouhan asserted that the Bill was essential for rural development, employment generation, and national progress. He accused the Congress of repeatedly invoking Mahatma Gandhi’s name for political gain while, in his words, “undermining Gandhi’s core principles.”

“This Bill is absolutely necessary. It will create employment opportunities, strengthen rural India, and help move the country forward,” Chouhan said while urging the House to support the legislation.

The senior BJP leader further alleged that MGNREGA suffered from widespread corruption during the UPA era and that funds were often misused or not adequately deployed for approved projects. He claimed the new framework would ensure better utilisation of public money.

“I listened patiently to the arguments for hours, hoping they would listen to my response. Making accusations and then walking out is like killing the dreams and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi,” Chouhan remarked as opposition MPs continued their protests.

He also argued that while the rural employment scheme was originally launched in 2005, Mahatma Gandhi’s name was added to it in 2009 for electoral considerations. “They use Mahatma Gandhi’s name for politics. If anyone has harmed Gandhi’s ideals, it is the Congress,” he said, citing events such as the Emergency, alleged scams, and repeated disruptions in Parliament.

Earlier in the day, when the Lok Sabha passed the Bill after a stormy debate, opposition MPs tore papers and raised slogans, accusing the government of weakening Gandhian values and undermining the rural economy.

Responding to an extensive eight-hour discussion in the Lower House, Chouhan maintained that the legislation was the product of careful and prolonged deliberations. He said the government aims to invest ₹10–11 lakh crore in water conservation, essential rural and livelihood infrastructure, and targeted projects to mitigate the impact of extreme weather events.

According to the government, the G RAM G framework represents a shift towards asset creation, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods, even as the opposition continues to portray it as a dilution of one of India’s most ambitious social security programmes.