Lok Sabha passes BV-Ji Ram Ji bill amidst ruckus

New Delhi:
The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the "Viksit Bharat - Rozgar aur Aajeevika Mission (Rural) Guarantee" or VB-Gram Jyoti Bill, 2025 amidst uproar through a voice vote, aiming to ensure employment and product protection in rural areas. The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were adjourned for the day after the bill's passage.
The bill has been introduced to replace the existing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) 2005. The new proposed rural employment law will provide 125 days of employment per household in villages. It emphasizes development-oriented work and provides for a central and state share. The central government will contribute 60 percent of the expenses, while the states will contribute 40 percent. The ratio will be 90:10 in hilly states.
The discussion on the bill took place in the Lok Sabha till around 1:30 am last night, and Union Minister Shivaraj Singh Chouhan responded to the discussion today. However, opposition members continued to raise slogans in the middle of the House.
Responding to the discussion, Union Minister Shivaraj Singh Chouhan pointed out the shortcomings of MGNREGA, saying that states have spent more on labor and less on material purchases. He said a large amount has been allocated under the new scheme. He said, "Through the allocation of this large amount, we will not only create better employment opportunities and generate more jobs, but also ensure that these resources are used effectively for village development in the model of developed India.
He said that in the model of developed India conceived by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, villages will be self-sufficient, employment-rich, poverty-free, and equipped with modern facilities. These villages will provide standard education, centers for the promotion of skills, digital classrooms, libraries, training centers, computer labs, and other laboratories. This will ensure that no child is left behind in education.
Regarding the controversy over the name, Chouhan said that village development plans have been in the making for many years. Even before MGNREGA, successive governments have launched employment guarantee schemes. Mahatma Gandhi's name was included in NREGA in view of the 2009 elections. In response to Priyanka Gandhi's allegations, Chouhan listed such schemes that had Nehru and Gandhi's names. Chouhan accused the Congress of insulting Gandhi's ideals. Chouhan said that the Congress accepted the partition of India and rejected Gandhi's demand to dissolve the party.