If the Narendra Modi government is good at anything, it is at renaming existing schemes and presenting them as bold new initiatives. The latest example is its proposal to rechristen the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Grameen) Bill, 2025—VB-G RAM-G for short. In one stroke, Mahatma Gandhi is replaced by RAM, with a reverential “G” added for good measure. In today’s political climate, who will dare question such a rechristening? This is not an isolated case. The Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan became the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan; the rural LPG distribution scheme was reborn as Ujjwala. Rebranding has become a hallmark of governance, often suggesting transformation where there is little substantive change. From what is available in the public domain, the new employment guarantee bill appears to follow the same script. There is nothing to indicate any radical departure from the existing scheme. The changes are largely cosmetic, marked more by bombastic wordage than by a new vision.
In essence, the proposed law guarantees employment for 125 days to one person per household willing to do manual work—an increase from the earlier 100 days under MGNREGA. The cost-sharing pattern, however, changes significantly: states will now bear 40 per cent of the expenditure, while the Himalayan states will contribute 10 per cent. The Centre will also exercise greater control over implementation, ostensibly to plug loopholes for corruption. Whether tighter control translates into better delivery or merely greater centralisation remains to be seen. It is worth recalling that MGNREGA was a trailblazing piece of legislation when it was enacted in 2005 by the Manmohan Singh government, under pressure from the Left parties which supported the United Progressive Alliance government from outside. Politically, it paid rich dividends in the 2009 general election when the Congress returned to power for another term. More importantly, it provided employment to millions and created durable assets: public wells, rural roads, check dams, school buildings, and other infrastructure. The initial wage of Rs 100 a day may not have inspired confidence in urban India, but in rural areas it made a tangible difference.
It is, of course, sobering that even after three-quarters of a century as a republic, India still needs laws guaranteeing work for just 125 days a year. With nearly 800 million Indians dependent on subsidised rations, the need is obvious. The BJP was never enthusiastic about MGNREGA, but political prudence ensured its survival. A welcome feature in the new bill is a deadline for wage payments, a long-standing grievance. Ultimately, whatever the name, if the scheme benefits the poor and builds rural assets, it deserves support—not rhetorical renaming.
