Hyderabad: BC Finance Corporation Chairman Nuthi Srikanth Goud on Tuesday sharply criticised the BJP-led NDA government for replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the newly passed Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission–Gramin (VB-G RAM G) scheme.
Calling it a “historic blunder,” Goud said the move was part of a broader effort to erase the Nehru-Gandhi legacy by renaming iconic welfare schemes. He argued that the change dismantled a rights-based framework that empowered rural workers for decades.
Shift from rights-based to supply-driven model
According to Goud, the VB-G RAM G scheme marks a clear shift from a demand-driven system to a supply-controlled mission. “Under MGNREGA, workers had the legal right to demand work. That right has been stripped away,” he said.
He acknowledged that the guaranteed employment period now extends to 125 days. However, he stressed that the underlying entitlement had been diluted. Moreover, he criticised the 60:40 funding split between the Centre and States. He described it as an “unfunded mandate” that shifts financial pressure onto already burdened state governments.
While the NDA government defends the scheme as a step toward transparency through digital tools, Goud warned these reforms may harm rural workers. He pointed out that seasonal pauses and digital attendance systems could cut off income at critical times, especially in areas with low connectivity.
‘Erasing Congress legacy through renaming’
Goud further alleged that the BJP was pursuing an ideological mission to erase welfare history linked to Congress leadership. He listed multiple examples to illustrate this trend:
- Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana → Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana
- Indira Awaas Yojana → Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Gramin)
- JNNURM → Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)
“This is not reform. It is political rebranding,” he said. He insisted that removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name from a rural employment scheme was both politically and symbolically wrong. “His name is deeply embedded in the national conscience,” he added.
Looking ahead, Goud warned that the renaming of MGNREGA could become a major issue in upcoming elections. “This debate is about more than a name. It is about values, history, and the India we aim to build,” he said.