Karnataka Minister Khandre criticizes Centre’s VB-G RAM G scheme, warning it undermines MGNREGA and rural economic security
Bidar
Karnataka’s District In-Charge Minister Ishwar Khandre strongly criticized the Central BJP government’s move to gradually weaken and now completely replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the new VB-G RAM G Yojana (Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin), calling it a direct blow to the rural economy.
Speaking at a press conference at the District Journalists’ Association building on Sunday, the minister said MGNREGA has been a lifeline for crores of poor, landless laborers, and agriculture-dependent families across rural India. It provides guaranteed employment and food security. Replacing it with a new scheme that lacks true employment assurance amounts to an attack on constitutional values, he alleged.
The minister pointed out that MGNREGA was introduced in 2005 by the UPA government as a revolutionary program to decentralize power and empower villages. Panchayats were given authority to implement it, creating 100 days of work for the poorest rural households — making it the world’s first such large-scale initiative.
However, under Prime Minister Modi, the government is snatching away the poor’s employment rights through this “dark law,” he charged. Khandre accused the Centre of wanting to prevent the poor from becoming economically strong, instead channeling funds to capitalists. He claimed the government is burdening the stomachs of the poor to fill the pockets of the rich.
The BJP-led Centre has zero achievements of its own and is merely renaming and re-implementing UPA-era programs, while weakening states’ powers and federal structure, he said. The new VB-G Ramji scheme will increase unemployment nationwide. It forces workers to accept work only at designated locations, limits Gram Panchayat flexibility, and raises the states’ funding share from 10% to 40%, imposing a heavy financial burden on them.
The minister accused the BJP of spreading false propaganda against MGNREGA and misleading people about the new scheme to cover up its failures. He announced that Congress is launching a nationwide awareness movement to demand the scrapping of VB-G Ramji Yojana and continuation of MGNREGA.
The press meet was attended by former minister Rajshekhar Patil, MLCs Dr. Chandrashekhar Patil and Bhimrao Patil, District Congress President Basavaraj Jabashhetti, Guarantee Schemes District President Amritrao Chimakode, and others including Mohammad Sami, George Fernandes, and senior party leaders.