Lucknow,

13 Jan (HS): Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju remarked on Tuesday

that the MGNREGA had practically become a guarantee of theft, claiming that the

Narendra Modi government's recently approved 'VB-G RAM G' Act allowed for no

wrongdoing. Rijiju addressed a news conference following a BJP workshop here,

urging people not to be swayed by what he described as disinformation regarding

the new law. He stated that, unlike the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural

Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), where loopholes allegedly allowed some

people to siphon off crores of rupees, the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and

Aajeevika Mission (Grameen) (VB-G RAM G) Act was framed in such a way that

corruption was eliminated.

In

response to opposition criticism of the replacement of MGNREGA with the new

program, the minister said that similar false advertising was produced before

the passing of the CAA, alleging it would deprive Muslims of citizenship. Nothing

like that happened, he added, adding that attempts were being made to deceive

people about the VB-G RAM G as well.

According

to Rijiju, the new legislation has already taken effect, and the implementation

process has begun, with visible changes expected shortly. Responding to charges

that the government was eliminating Mahatma Gandhi's name by repealing MGNREGA,

he stated that the emphasis should be on work and outcomes, not names, and that

corruption could not be properly controlled under the previous law.

He

stated that the new framework was fully digitised, with zone and satellite

mapping to guarantee constant monitoring of all projects from the grassroots to

the highest levels, leaving no opportunity for financial errors. The minister

said that, despite spending over Rs 11 lakh crore under MGNREGA, rural regions

did not experience the promised level of development, and funds were frequently

not provided to states in accordance to their real needs. Rijiju said

guaranteed employment time under the new law had been expanded from 100 days to

125 days, with provisions for compensation in case of delays. He stated that

the initiative was especially important for Uttar Pradesh because of its huge

rural population and agrarian foundation, and that the effects of the changes

will be most obvious in the state.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi