"Conspiracy is being hatched to mislead the country in name of MNREGA": Shivraj Singh Chouhan

New Delhi [India], December 21 (ANI): Amid mounting attack from opposition parties, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in a video message, alleged that a conspiracy is being hatched to mislead the country in the name of MNREGA and said that 'Viksit Bharat - G Ram G' law is in favour of the poor and development, and that this law provides a complete guarantee of employment to workers.
"A conspiracy is being hatched to mislead the country in the name of MNREGA. Misinformation is being spread...For our labourer brothers and sisters, there is now a guarantee of 125 days of work, not just 100 days...There is a provision for providing additional payment if wages are delayed and on the other hand, a huge sum of money, which is proposed for this year, is more than Rs 1,51,282 crore. This is to ensure sufficient funds for providing employment and for the complete development of villages...This law is in favour of the poor, development. This law provides a complete guarantee of employment for labourers. It fulfils the resolve of developed villages for the construction of a developed India. There is another special provision. The administrative expenditure has increased from 6% to 9%...," Chouhan said in a video message on Sunday.
President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday gave assent to the Viksit Bharat--Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB--G RAM G) Bill, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the transformation of rural employment policy, as per a release by the President's Secretariat.
The Act enhances the statutory wage employment guarantee to 125 days per financial year for rural households. It seeks to advance empowerment, inclusive growth, convergence of development initiatives and saturation-based delivery, thereby strengthening the foundation for a prosperous, resilient and self-reliant Rural Bharat.
Earlier, Parliament passed the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, marking a decisive reform in India's rural employment and development framework. The Act replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, with a modern statutory framework that enhances livelihood security and is aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. (ANI)