125 Days of Work, Not Dilution: Chouhan Counters Congress Attack on VB-G RAM G Act

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has mounted a strong defence of the newly enacted Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 , asserting that the legislation expands rural employment security and accusing the opposition of misleading workers for political gain. His remarks come amid sustained criticism from the Congress following the repeal of the MGNREGA .

Chouhan targeted Rahul Gandhi for questioning the intent of the new law while allegedly remaining absent during its parliamentary debate. He said the Bill was discussed for hours in both Houses, with detailed scrutiny of every provision, and claimed the Leader of the Opposition was abroad during the passage of the legislation. The minister later mocked Gandhi for struggling to recall the law’s name at a workers’ convention, calling the Congress’s subsequent protests a “manufactured narrative” rather than a policy-based objection.

Highlighting statistics from the Act, Chouhan said the guaranteed number of wage employment days for rural households has been raised from 100 to 125 days per year , describing it as a clear strengthening of the employment guarantee. He added that safeguards such as unemployment allowance , payable if work is not provided within the stipulated period, and compensation for delayed wages remain integral to the new framework. According to him, these provisions ensure workers’ rights are protected rather than diluted.

The minister also underlined the Act’s focus on decentralised planning , stating that gram panchayats have been given greater authority to design employment projects based on local needs, while linking wage employment to the creation of durable rural assets. He noted that more than 85 per cent of India’s farmers are small and marginal , arguing that the integrated approach would support both farm livelihoods and rural labour.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has accused the Congress of spreading misinformation about the law, while the opposition continues to demand the restoration of MGNREGA as a rights-based programme. The government, however, maintains that the new Act represents a modernised rural employment framework aligned with the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision, and insists it will deliver stronger and more sustainable employment security.