The Manipur Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday hit back at the Congress for its criticism of the Centre’s newly introduced Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB-GRAM-G] Act, accusing the opposition party of misleading rural communities and politicising a welfare-focused reform.
Addressing a press conference, Manipur BJP Pradesh President A. Sharda Devi described the Congress campaign against the Act as “unfortunate and irresponsible,” alleging that it was motivated by political interests rather than genuine concern for farmers and rural workers.
She said the Congress was deliberately spreading misinformation to create confusion among rural populations for political gain. Clarifying the purpose of the new legislation, Sharda stated that the VB-GRAM-G Act replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of achieving a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, with a stronger emphasis on productivity, income security, and sustainable rural development.
According to her, the Act increases guaranteed employment from 100 to 125 days, which she said would lead to higher wages and improved livelihood security for rural households.
Responding to Congress objections over the renaming of the scheme, Sharda termed the criticism selective and politically motivated. She pointed out that Mahatma Gandhi’s name was added to the employment scheme only in 2005, a year after its launch, without attracting similar objections at the time.
“Renaming or restructuring welfare schemes in line with changing national priorities is not new. The Congress remained silent then but is objecting now for political convenience,” she said.
Reiterating the BJP’s commitment to farmers and rural workers, Sharda said their role is central to India’s development. She added that the Modi government has placed rural communities at the heart of its Viksit Bharat agenda.
Drawing a comparison between the two parties, she claimed that the Congress-led government spent ₹2.5 lakh crore on MGNREGA over 10 years, while the BJP-led government has spent ₹8.5 lakh crore over a similar period, highlighting what she described as the BJP’s stronger commitment to rural welfare.
Sharda also outlined key provisions of the VB-GRAM-G Act, including a guarantee of 125 days of wage employment per rural household and a cumulative 60-day no-work window to ensure the availability of agricultural labour during peak farming seasons.
She further said the Act places significant emphasis on technology-based monitoring systems to improve transparency, reduce leakages, and ensure timely payment of wages.
“The VB-GRAM-G Act is not merely a welfare scheme but a structural reform aimed at empowering rural India and promoting inclusive growth,” she said.
