Punjab govt to convene special Assembly session on MGNREGA to VB-G Ram G switch

Amid opposition's protests against the VB-G RAM G Bill that seeks to replace the MGNREGA, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said the state government will convene a special Assembly session on the issue in the second week of January.

In a post on X, Mann said, "The BJP-led Central government is trying to hit the livelihoods of the poor by changing the 'MGNREGA' scheme... To raise the voice of Punjabis against this high-handedness, a special session of the Punjab Legislative Assembly will be convened in the second week of January."

Later, addressing a gathering after distributing mini bus permits here, Mann lashed out at the Centre for "ending" the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme.

"They are saying end the NREGA scheme. Earlier, the Centre was contributing 90 per cent and the states 10 per cent in the MGNREGA scheme. Now, they (Centre) say they have raised it to 125 days (of employment) in which the Centre will contribute 60 per cent and the states will pay 40 per cent. But they do not give funds to the states. From where the states will bring money," he asked.

The MGNREGA scheme guaranteed 100 days of employment per year.

Referring to the VB-G Ram G Bill, Mann said work related to irrigation, construction of a school or a 'mandi' cannot be undertaken under it, claiming that "restrictions" have been imposed under the proposed law.

"Village ponds can now be cleaned once in five years," the chief minister claimed.

"First, they impose restrictions (on work) and then they say the number of days have been increased to 125. We are calling a special session (of Assembly) in the second week of January (on this issue)," Mann said.

Parliament on Thursday passed the VB-G RAM G Bill, which seeks to replace the 20-year-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and guarantee 125 days of rural wage employment every year, amid vociferous protests by the opposition.

The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) or VB-G RAM G Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote late on Thursday night, hours after the Lok Sabha cleared it amid strong protests by the opposition over the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the existing scheme, accusing the Centre of putting the financial burden on the states.