Lucknow, Jan 6 (PTI) Launching a sharp attack on the Congress and the INDIA bloc over its opposition to the VB GRAM G law, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said those who “plundered” the country’s resources for decades and pushed the poor into hunger were now questioning a transparent reform aimed at strengthening rural India.
Addressing what he described as an important press conference of the NDA government here, Adityanath said the briefing was convened to explain the newly enacted Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G), 2025, which has replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The event was attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Brajesh Pathak and Keshav Prasad Maurya, and ministers from NDA allies, including the Nishad Party, SBSP and Apna Dal (S).
Slamming the Congress and “INDI alliance”, Adityanath said, “those who plundered the country’s resources for decades and pushed the poor and youth into hunger and migration are now questioning a transparent reform aimed at strengthening rural India.” “This law (VB GRAM G) has been brought to take forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat. It will guarantee employment, ensure livelihoods and create permanent infrastructure in rural areas,” Adityanath said, calling the legislation a milestone for village-centric development.
The chief minister said the press conference was necessary as those opposing the law feared that support for such transparent reforms would expose their past failures.
“If the public starts asking why these steps were not taken when they were in power, their reality will be laid bare,” he said.
Adityanath alleged that MGNREGA had failed to create durable assets and was plagued by fake job cards, bogus attendance, delayed wage payments, weak social audits and widespread corruption. He said workers were often denied timely employment and payments, while farmers faced acute labour shortages during sowing and harvesting seasons.
Highlighting key provisions of the new law, Adityanath said the employment guarantee has been increased from 100 to 125 days, with weekly payments to workers and mandatory compensation in case of delays.
He added that unemployment allowance has now been made a legal right if work is not provided on demand.
To ensure availability of farm labour, he said, the law provides for a 60-day pause in scheme work during peak agricultural seasons, while ensuring the 125-day employment guarantee across the year.
Welcoming the enactment, Adityanath expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and the NDA, saying the reform would strengthen the rural economy, empower farmers and workers, and lay a strong foundation for a developed India. PTI KIS DV DV
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