Priyank Kharge claims VB-G RAM G act undermines MGNREGA's rights-based framework
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday strongly criticised the Union government's VB-G RAM G act 2025 that replaced MGNREGA, claiming that changes in the new legislation weaken and undermine the previous act's core promise as a rights-based rural employment programme.
In a post on social media platform 'X', Priyank Kharge said the act would gradually make the scheme untenable by transforming it from a demand-driven legal entitlement into a supply-driven arrangement, thereby stripping citizens of their right to demand work.
He observed that while the Centre would retain most decision-making powers, states would be forced to shoulder the bulk of the financial and administrative burden.
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"Much has been spoken about the VB-G RAM G Bill. But beyond everything else, these changes will slowly make the scheme untenable and eventually kill the idea of a rights-based rural employment guarantee," Priyank Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, said in his post.
The minister, who holds Rural Development, Panchayat Raj and Information Technology and Bio-technology portfolio, further contended that the proposed changes amounted to a dilution of fiscal federalism, particularly at a time when states are already facing shrinking financial resources.
He pointed out that tax devolution to states had fallen from 34 per cent to 31 per cent, far below the 42 per cent recommended by the Finance Commission, even as centrally sponsored schemes were becoming increasingly restrictive.
By centralising powers and curbing local planning and decentralised governance, the act would weaken the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, which grants constitutional status to Panchayati Raj Institutions, Kharge warned.
According to him, such centralisation would erode the role of local bodies that are critical to the effective implementation of MGNREGA on the ground.
Questioning the Union government's rationale, the Karnataka minister asked how the legislation could be termed a reform when it failed to meaningfully strengthen the scheme for rural workers who depend on it for livelihood security.
He maintained that reducing a legal right to work into what he described as a 'token centrally sponsored scheme', would defeat the very purpose of MGNREGA. Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday slammed the Centre for doing away with MGNREGA.
Kharge alleged that Modi is purposely destroying that Act as he wants to make poor villagers and farm labourers slaves of rich people. "Therefore, we fought for the retention of the original MGNREGA and whatever provisions are there (in the original Act) should be retained. I condemn the new Act. It is only helping the government," the Congress chief said.
The parliament, on December 18, passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G Bill) and President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday gave her assent to the bill and made it an act. This act replaces the 20-year-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and guarantees 125 days of rural wage employment every year.
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GBA razes down 400 houses in Yelahanka, minority families including Muslims worst affected
Bengaluru: In an incident reported from the state capital, more than 3,000 people living in Fakir Colony of the Kogilu Layout near Yelahanka were rendered homeless by the officials of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) on Saturday.
The officials, who said the 400 houses were constructed on encroached land, held the operation using nine tractors and nine earthmovers, razing down the houses.
They have ousted around 90 per cent of the families who had been living in the area for more than 30 years and belong to minority communities, including Muslims from the colony.
The bereaved residents have insisted that the government had provided them land in the locality to build houses and reside. “We have all official documents as well as Aadhaar cards and voter IDs as proofs. Our source of livelihood is only manual labour,” they added.
“Many of the families had mortgaged the houses to get loans from banks, but the GBA officials have razed our houses without giving any prior notice,” they said and added, “Some of the women here are pregnant, but the officers showed no concern for such people too.”
Referring to the title deeds, the residents said that the local representatives had assured them that they would be handed the documents. “So far, however, we were not told to vacate the houses. Since the houses were unexpectedly razed, our children’s documents and other valuables in the houses have been destroyed,” the residents added angrily.
They also expressed fury about representatives failing to come to their help in times of need. “They come here only to campaign and get our votes. When questioned about the propriety of destroying the houses, the police officers assaulted us,” some of them said.
Sara Saif Saufique, one of the residents in the Fakir Colony, said, “My family has been living here for three decades, but has unexpectedly lost the house since the officers did not give us notice. They came at around 4:30 am on Saturday, when we were sleeping, and started destroying the houses.”
She said with fury, further, “The officials also forcibly evicted us from the houses, without even permitting us to gather our winterwear or blankets.”
