In a direct political countermove, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal has renamed its state rural employment scheme, Karmashree, as 'Mahatma-Shree'. This decision came swiftly after the Parliament passed the central government's Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, which replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
A Symbolic Retort in the Rajya Sabha
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien announced the state's decision in the Upper House on Saturday, December 20, 2025, shortly after the Lok Sabha passed the contentious VB-G RAM G Bill. The central legislation had sparked a sharp debate for omitting the name of Mahatma Gandhi from the flagship rural jobs scheme.
O'Brien framed the renaming as a gesture of respect versus humiliation. Taking to social media platform X, he stated, "On the day the name of the Mahatma was removed by the Modi-led coalition, the Chief Minister of Bengal gave a new name to her State’s Karmashree Scheme." He further added a pointed contrast without naming individuals: "HE wants to keep humiliating the Mahatma. SHE wants to keep showering the Mahatma with respect." He also shared the official state government notification dated December 19, 2024, effecting the name change.
What is the Mahatma-Shree (formerly Karmashree) Scheme?
The Karmashree scheme was originally launched by the West Bengal government in 2024 to provide employment to rural unskilled workers in the state who are registered under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS and hold job cards. The scheme has now been amended not only in name but also in its scope.
According to the notification shared by O'Brien, the amended Mahatma-Shree scheme will now provide one hundred days of wage employment per financial year to each job card holder household. This marks an increase from the previous provision of 75 days. The employment will be generated "through various works implemented by different departments of the state government."
The Centre's VB-G RAM G Bill and Opposition Backlash
The trigger for West Bengal's move was the passage of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, or the G RAM G Bill, on Thursday, December 18, 2025. This new legislation replaces the old MGNREGA, effectively removing the prefix 'Mahatma Gandhi' from the scheme's title.
The decision by the BJP-led central government faced heavy criticism from opposition parties, who accused it of disrespecting the legacy of the Father of the Nation. The TMC's renaming of its state scheme is the most immediate and symbolic act of protest against this change, setting the stage for continued political contention over the branding and ownership of welfare schemes in India.
This episode highlights how naming rights for government programs have become a potent tool for political messaging in India, with both the ruling dispensation and the opposition using them to appeal to their respective voter bases and underscore ideological differences.
