New Delhi, December 21 (IANS). Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan criticized opposition leaders on Sunday. He said that they are trying to mislead the country about the government’s flagship rural employment scheme.
“An attempt is being made to mislead the country by spreading misinformation in the name of MNREGA,” he said in a video message posted on social media platforms.
The Union Minister said, “The truth is that Vikas Bharat Gram Yojana is a step ahead of MNREGA. Now workers will get a legal guarantee of employment not just for 100 days, but for 125 days. The provisions of unemployment allowance have been strengthened and if there is a delay in wages, additional compensation will be given.”
He said that the government has increased the total allocation for rural employment scheme and aims to develop self-reliant villages to achieve developed India through developed villages. Chauhan said that this bill is in favor of the poor and development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday strongly supported the recently passed India-Employment and Livelihood Guarantee Mission (Rural) Bill, 2025, which will replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).
In a post on his X handle, PM Modi shared and supported an article written by Chouhan, which was published in a leading newspaper. The title of the article was ‘The new employment law is not a retreat from social security. Its purpose is to improve’.
Appealing to citizens to read this article, the Prime Minister said, “In this must-read article, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan explains how this bill aims to transform rural livelihoods by enhancing employment guarantee, incorporating local planning, striking a balance between worker safety and farming productivity, merging schemes, strengthening frontline capacity and modernizing governance. He emphasizes that this bill is not a retreat from social protection. Rather, this is its new form.”
The bill passed in Parliament this week amid heated debate and opposition has increased the legal guarantee of annual wage employment to every rural family from 100 to 125 days.
In his article, the Agriculture Minister responds to the main criticisms of the bill, arguing that concerns about weakening the demand-driven nature of the scheme are unfounded, as the law clearly mandates the government to provide at least 125 days of work.
As the scheme prepares to be launched from April 2026, the government sees Vikas Bharat-Ji Ram Ji as a modern evolution in line with the Vikas Bharat 2047 vision, which aims to provide enforceable rights, accountability and sustainable development.
–IANS
PSK
