Congress spreading lies on G RAM-G: Chouhan

Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi on Monday of spreading misinformation about the VB-G RAM G Act, while asserting that the new law will strengthen the right to work.

Addressing a press conference here, Chouhan referred to the Congress’s nationwide campaign against the VB-G RAM G Act that has replaced the MGNREGA and accused the opposition party of spreading “lies” that employment would be provided only in certain panchayats under the new scheme.

The Congress launched the “MGNREGA Bachao Sangram”, a 45-day nationwide campaign against the repeal of the UPA-era Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), on January 10.

The Opposition party is demanding the withdrawal of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act and restoration of the MGNREGA as a rights-based law in its original form, the right to work and the authority of panchayats. “I would like to tell Rahul Gandhiji and Mallikarjun Khargeji that by spreading misinformation about the VB-G RAM G Act, they are not strengthening but rather weakening the Congress,” Chouhan said.

“The Congress has abandoned its idea, ideology and ideal, the idea is nation first, the development of the country, VB-G RAM G is for the development of villages,” he said.

While the Congress has alleged that the “soul” of the MGNREGA is being destroyed, the minister claimed that the UPA Government had given the right to work only on papers, while the NDA regime has ensured its implementation on the ground.

“We tried to make the MGNREGA better. The proof is that we spent around Rs 9 lakh crore, while the UPA Government had spent around Rs 2 lakh crore,” he said.

Chouhan claimed that of the nearly 10 crore assets created under the MGNREGA, around 8.5 crore were built during the Narendra Modi Government’s tenure.

He said the claim that the right to work is being snatched away is a “lie”.

“Instead of 100 days, we are now giving 125 days' work.... Not just the right to work, we have also made a provision for giving an unemployment allowance within 15 days.... You (Congress) gave the right on papers, we have strengthened it on the ground,” the minister said.

“They are spreading misinformation that employment would be provided only in certain panchayats. I want to clarify that the scheme would be implemented in all panchayats,” he said.

On the 60:40 Centre-state funding ratio that has been criticised by opposition parties and activists, Chouhan said, “There will be no additional burden on the states. The Centre is already giving more money. The investment that the states would make would be for strengthening infrastructure in villages.”

He said a provision for Rs 1,51,282 crore has been proposed for the coming financial year, with more than Rs 95,600 crore to be contributed by the Centre.

Addressing concerns of opposition parties regarding the demand-driven nature of the scheme being diluted, Chouhan clarified that the model would remain demand-driven, but the focus would now be on productive and useful works identified by gram panchayats, rather than arbitrary projects.

The minister added that the VB-G RAM G Act would be implemented in six months, and till then, the MGNREGA would continue.

Activists and opposition parties have criticised the proposed VB G-RAM-G scheme, alleging that it weakens the rights-based framework of the MGNREGA.

Activists and unions have said the new law may dilute the legal guarantee of work and also alleged that the scheme is more centralised than the MGNREGA, which was drafted after widespread consultations.

Opposition parties have also argued that the new law will add to the financial burden of the states due to the 60:40 funding ratio, potentially constraining the states’ ability to generate employment.

Congress president Kharge and former party chief Gandhi have claimed that work for the country’s rural population will now become a “revdi”, to be handed over to them as the Government decides, and will no longer be a right.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre has rejected the allegations, maintaining that the VB G-RAM-G Act strengthens rather than weakens rural-employment guarantees.