"Bulldozing": Opposition As Centre Introduces 'G RAM G' Bill In Rajya Sabha

The government on Thursday introduced the VB-G RAM G Bill in the Rajya Sabha that seeks to replace the 20-year-old MGNREG Act amid protests from non-NDA parties demanding parliamentary committee scrutiny.

The bill was taken up soon after it was passed by the Lok Sabha before lunch, even as opposition members asked why the name of the proposed legislation was being changed and Mahatma Gandhi's name removed from it.

Immediately after the Nuclear bill was passed by the House, Deputy Chairman Harivansh called Minister of Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan to introduce the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill.

The move triggered an uproar from the Opposition.

Tiruchi Siva of DMK and Congress leader Digvijay Singh sought more time for the Opposition to file amendments.

"The bill was put on the portal at 5 pm, and we were supposed to give our amendment by 5:45 pm," Singh said, adding that it takes time to read the bill and suggest amendments.

Sanjay Singh of AAP said the government is trying to bulldoze the Opposition, as it has done while passing the three black farm laws.

On this, Harivash said the Chairman of the House has already passed a detailed ruling in this regard, and that is final, and called Congress Member Mukul Vasnik to discuss the bill.

Initiating the debate, Vasnik said this bill will not only have far-reaching consequences but also affect millions of people in India, who are poor and needy. There was no discussion with the experts, and the demand to send this bill to the Standing Committee was rejected.

"This bill is not for the benefit of the people. This has been brought as a political weapon," he said.

MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) has a provision of 90:10 cost-sharing between the centre and state governments, and this G RAM G Bill is altering it to 60:40.

Vasnik questioned whether the government has consulted with the state governments and taken their confidence before deciding this, as it will be a burden on them and worsen their financial situation, and if yes, then to name them and share their responses.

Now, the Centre will fix the money, which will be paid to the state government. If the state government wants to spend more, then it would have to bear the burden.

In the peak season of agriculture, the state governments will have to notify a 60-day "blackout period" in which the needy people, including women, will not get any work.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)