The Indian Parliament passed the landmark VB-G RAM G Bill on Thursday, legislating a new rural employment guarantee that will replace the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). In a session that lasted into midnight, the Rajya Sabha approved the measure despite strong opposition protests and a walkout by members who wanted it to be withdrawn.
What Are the Key Provisions of the VB-G RAM G Bill?
The central promise of the new legislation is an enhancement of the statutory wage employment guarantee. According to Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the bill guarantees 125 days of wage employment every financial year for unskilled workers. This increases the entitlement from the 100 days provided under the previous MGNREGA framework. The government asserts the new law will bring greater transparency, accountability, and empower gram panchayats and sabhas.
VIDEO | Parliament Winter Session: Lok Sabha passes G RAM G Bill amid opposition uproar.
The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill will replace the UPA-era MGNREGA.#MGNREGA #GRAMGBill
(Source: Third Party)
(Full video available… pic.twitter.com/cSQIVopgBX
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 18, 2025
How Did the Opposition React to the Bill’s Passage?
Opposition parties mounted significant resistance to the bill’s passage. During the final vote, a number of Rajya Sabha members staged a walkout while shouting anti-ruling NDA slogans. Opposition lawmakers simultaneously staged a dharna (sit-in protest) outside the Samvidhan Sadan in the Parliament building, denouncing the bill’s provisions and demanding its removal.
What Was the Government’s Defense of the New Legislation?
Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan led the government’s rebuttal, aggressively countering the opposition’s criticism. He accused the Congress party of having “killed” the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi multiple times and using his name for political gain. Chouhan further asserted that during the UPA’s rule, the implementation of MGNREGA was “riddled with corruption.” He framed the VB-G RAM G Bill as necessary to fix the shortcomings of the old scheme and to contribute to the “comprehensive development of villages.”
Key Facts of the Legislative Action:
Bill: The VB-G RAM G Bill.
Action: Passed by Parliament, replacing the MGNREGA (2005).
Key Change: Increases guaranteed wage employment from 100 to 125 days per year.
Process: Rajya Sabha session extended past midnight amid protests.
Opposition Response: Walkout during vote and dharna at Samvidhan Sadan.
Government Stance: The bill seeks to improve openness, strengthen local government, and address historical corruption.
Passing the bill represents a major change in India’s flagship rural jobs policy, ending a 20-year chapter of MGNREGA nationwide programme. The opposition has openly stated it will keep challenging the bill, as the government shifts attention to implementing the VB-G RAM G framework across rural areas of the country now.
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