Centre has practically ended MGNREGA with VB-G RAM G Bill: Prashant Bhushan

Mumbai: Senior Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Sunday said the Union government has “practically ended” the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act by replacing it with Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill.

Not only has the name been changed, the entire scheme itself has been altered, the senior advocate said while talking to a news agency at Latur.

The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill was passed by Parliament in the recently concluded Winter session amid strong protests by the Opposition over the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name and the financial burden being put on states.

“MGNREGA was a right-driven scheme, where every rural family had the fundamental right to work for at least 100 days at minimum wages and would receive money from the government. But now the Union government has removed that. The government has said it will now be budget-driven,” Bhushan said.

“Now the government says they will decide what percentage they will provide and what percentage the state will provide. So, they have effectively ended the scheme,” he added.