NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule opposes VB-G-RAM-G Bill, says govt wrong to remove Mahatma Gandhi's name - World News Network

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 20 (ANI): NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule on Saturday strongly opposed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G-RAM-G) Bill passed in Parliament, alleging that the central government has done something “very wrong” by removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the scheme.
“We have strongly opposed this. The government has done something very wrong by removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name (from the scheme), and the way this program is being implemented is also wrong. Previously, the central government provided all the funding to the state governments for this, but with this change, less money will be allocated,” Sule said.
She further asserted that the opposition would continue to fight against the policy. “We will fight against this policy with all our might in Parliament and will continue to do so,” she added.
Speaking on the possibility of a coalition for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Sule said discussions are currently underway.
“There are discussions about a coalition. Pawar gave an initial indication that, since these are local elections, the local leaders will discuss among themselves to decide who will contest from where. The full picture will become clear in two or three days,” she said.
Earlier, the Parliament on Friday passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB–G RAM G) Bill, with Rajya Sabha approving the legislation after it got the nod of the Lok Sabha.
The opposition members staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha before the bill seeking to replace MGNREGA was passed. They pressed that the bill should be sent to a Select Committee. They demanded that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee.
Afterwards, the members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) are staging a 12-hour dharna (sit-in protest) against the passing of the VB G-RAM-G Bill.
The ongoing dharna, which started at 12 am, will conclude at 12 noon today. It is being held outside Samvidhan Sadan in the Parliament complex against the Bill. The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on December 18, 2025, and was later cleared by the Rajya Sabha in the early hours of December 19 amid strong opposition.
Following the passage of the VB-G RAM G Bill in both Houses and the adjournment of the Rajya Sabha till Friday afternoon, Opposition members protested the manner in which the government pushed the legislation through.
Several TMC MPs, including Sagarika Ghose, Derek O’Brien, Sushmita Dev, Dola Sen, Ritabrata Banerjee, Mausam Noor and Prakash Chik Baraik, along with MPs from the INDIA bloc, were present at the protest site.
Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Bill would play an important role in the welfare of the poor. He accused the Congress of showing disrespect to the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi.
The Bill guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household, up from the existing 100 days, for adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work.
As per Section 22 of the Bill, the fund-sharing pattern between the Centre and the states will be 60:40. For the Northeastern states, Himalayan states, and Union Territories, including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, the ratio will be 90:10.Section 6 of the Bill allows state governments to notify in advance a period aggregating up to 60 days in a financial year, covering peak agricultural seasons such as sowing and harvesting. (ANI)

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