Govt to introduce Bill renaming MGNREGA this week, political face-off likely

The government will be introducing a Bill this week to change the nomenclature of the law governing the rural job guarantee scheme, better known as MGNREGA, to the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), also called the VB-GRAM G Bill 2025.

The move is likely to lead to yet another confrontation between the treasury benches and the Opposition led by the Congress, as the proposed nomenclature does not carry Mahatma Gandhi’s name.

The Congress-led UPA regime had introduced the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) in 2005 to ensure employment on demand in rural areas, a landmark legislation that provided work to the rural poor across the country.

Later, through an amendment, the law’s name was changed to MGNREGA, with Mahatma Gandhi’s name added as a prefix.

Last week, speculation was rife that the government was planning to bring a Bill to change MGNREGA’s nomenclature to Pujniya Bapu Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Yojana.

However, according to a copy of the Bill circulated to Members of Parliament, the proposed nomenclature now stands changed to the VB-GRAM G Bill 2025.

Similarly, the nomenclature of other Bills likely to be introduced this week has also been changed.

The Atomic Energy Bill has been renamed the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, while the Insurance Laws Amendment Bill has been rechristened as the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha Bill.

The Higher Education Commission of India Bill has also been renamed as the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill.