In a significant rebranding move, the central government has renamed the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme. It will now be known as the Viksit Bharat — Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, abbreviated as VB–G RAM G. The announcement was made by Uttara Kannada MP Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, who also revealed plans for a statewide campaign to counter what he termed as misinformation spread by the opposition Congress party.
BJP's Statewide Campaign Against Misinformation
Addressing reporters at the district BJP office in Mangaluru on Saturday, MP Kageri stated that a comprehensive campaign will be conducted across the state from January 15 to February 25. The primary objective is to clarify the changes made to the scheme and counter the narratives being propagated by the Congress. Kageri emphasized that renaming schemes is a common practice, citing the example of the Nehru Rozgar Yojana being renamed NREGA by the Congress during its tenure.
"The name VB–G RAM G reflects our government's determination towards a developed India, and it has been well received by the public," Kageri said. He explained that the changes were made with the intention of fostering development in every sector, ensuring transformation, and driving village-level progress.
Key Enhancements and Administrative Reforms
The revamped scheme comes with several substantive upgrades aimed at benefiting rural households. Kageri outlined the major improvements:
- Job guarantee increased from 100 to 125 days per household per year.
- Wages will now be disbursed within a week of work completion.
- Administrative reforms have been implemented to decentralize work selection, empowering gram panchayats to choose projects instead of a centralized system.
- The focus areas for work have been prioritized for water conservation, including the construction of check dams, lakes, and wells. Support for self-help groups and farmers' producer companies, along with natural disaster prevention works, has also been emphasized.
Highlighting the financial commitment, Kageri noted a substantial increase in the scheme's budget. "The budget for the employment guarantee, which was Rs 33,000 crore in 2016, has increased to Rs 86,000 crore," he stated. Furthermore, the funding model has shifted from being purely demand-based to a budget-based approach, with the states' share increased to 40% to ensure their active participation and ownership.
Political Sparring and Allegations
The BJP leader launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing it of deliberately spreading falsehoods to confuse beneficiaries. He dismissed Congress's allegations regarding the use of the Prime Minister's photo on central schemes funded by states as a strategic move to deprive people of benefits.
"Congress's strategy is to prevent beneficiaries from receiving the benefits of central schemes. They did the same with Ayushman Bharat and other schemes. Their sole aim is to blame the central government," Kageri alleged.
When questioned about his previous corruption allegations against Assembly Speaker UT Khader, Kageri affirmed that he stands by his claims. He suggested that the government order a judicial investigation and expressed his readiness to provide all necessary documents to support his allegations.
The press conference was attended by prominent BJP leaders including Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, district BJP president Sathish Kumpala, MLA D Vedavyas Kamath, and MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur, signaling a united front on the issue.
