NEW DELHI: Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday accused the Congress of spreading “misinformation” about the VB-G-RAM-G scheme, which he said has been updated with features that benefit the poor. He alleged that corruption had been widespread under MGNREGA and claimed that resistance to the new scheme by Congress and other Opposition parties was driven by politics.
Speaking to the media, Chouhan criticised the Congress after it announced a campaign against the Viksit Bharat- Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission-Gramin (VB-G-RAM-G) starting from January 10. He questioned the absence of Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha during a debate on the issue.
Terming the Congress’s planned campaign an “attempt to protect corruption”, Chouhan said the party’s announced ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ was effectively a campaign to shield wrongdoing. He charged the Congress with presiding over large-scale irregularities, stating, “MGNREGA had become synonymous with corruption.
Under social audits done by gram sabhas, there were more than 10,51,000 complaints. Same work was repeated, work was done by machine, and money was siphoned in the name of cleaning canals, roads. Thirty percent workers were above 60 years”.
He further said that the Modi government had allocated significantly more funds to rural employment, adding that over `8, 48,000 crore had been provided compared to just over `2 lakh crore during the UPA regime.
He maintained that the interests of workers have now been better safeguarded under the new scheme and announced that `1, 51,282 crore would be allocated for the programme in the next financial year, with over `95,600 crore coming from the Centre. He added that there would be no shortage of funds to guarantee 125 days of work.
The Opposition has been protesting against the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Bill, or VB-G-RAM-G, which was passed by voice vote in the Rajya Sabha amid protests on December 21, 2025, just hours after being cleared by the Lok Sabha. President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Bill on December 21, turning it into an Act that replaces MGNREGA.
Protest an ‘attempt to protect corruption’
Terming the Congress’s planned campaign an “attempt to protect corruption”, Chouhan said the party’s announced ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’ was effectively a campaign to shield wrongdoing. He further said that government had allocated significantly more funds to rural employment, adding that over `8, 48,000 crore had been provided.