The All India Agricultural Workers’ Union (AIAWU) on Monday raised serious concerns over the proposed rules for the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, just two days before its rollout. The union stated that the new framework fundamentally undermines the right to work established under the original Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Shift from Entitlement to Charity
In a statement, AIAWU described VB-GRAM G as a direct attack on the core of the livelihood security framework, shifting the scheme from a "rights-based entitlement" to a "state-controlled charity." The union highlighted several gaps that could lead to faulty implementation.
Key objections include the exclusion of agricultural workers, unions, and panchayats from the steering committee; arbitrary determination of wages; and the abolition of the 'summer allowance.'
Steering Committee Packed with Bureaucrats
"Under VB-GRAM G, the Steering Committee has been packed entirely with bureaucrats, vesting absolute authority in them. Agricultural workers, trade unions, democratically elected panchayats, and Members of Parliament (MPs) have been completely excluded from this decision-making body," the AIAWU statement said.
AIAWU president A Vijayaraghavan criticized the government for continuing to arbitrarily determine wages without indexing them to the true rate of inflation and rising commodity prices.
Violation of Pro-Worker Wage Principle
"Under the original MGNREGA framework, the rule dictated that workers must receive either the central notified wage or the state’s minimum wage, whichever was higher. The new proposals completely violate this pro-worker wage-revision principle," Vijayaraghavan said.
The union called for the establishment of an independent ombudsman system at the national, state, and district levels to handle complaints regarding denial of employment, delayed wage payments, corruption, administrative lapses, and violations of workers' rights.
Demand for Inclusion in Council
"At least five representatives from organisations working on rural employment, social audits, women’s rights, Dalit rights, and Adivasi rights must be included in the Council," the union demanded.
The AIAWU also advocated for multiple payment options for workers in rural areas, citing ongoing difficulties with bank distances, server failures, biometric authentication problems, Aadhaar seeding errors, and banking infrastructure deficiencies.
Multiple Payment Options Needed
"In rural areas, workers continue to face serious difficulties due to the long distance to banks and post offices, server failures, biometric authentication problems, Aadhaar seeding errors, and banking infrastructure deficiencies. As a result, millions of rural workers experience delays and denial of their rightful payments," the union said.
The body proposed that workers be provided multiple payment options, including bank accounts, post office accounts, cooperative banking institutions, and cash payments through gram panchayats or other authorised public institutions. "The choice of payment mode shall rest with the worker," the statement added.
