New Delhi, Dec. 19 -- The Parliament on Thursday passed the VB-G RAM G Bill, that seeks to replace the 20-year-old MGNREGA and guarantee 125 days of rural wage employment every year, amid vociferous protests by the opposition, with Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan asserting that it was needed to fix shortcomings in the old scheme.
The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote, hours after the Lok Sabha cleared it on Thursday, amid strong protests by the opposition over the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the existing rural employment guarantee scheme MGNREGA and accusing the government of putting the financial burden on states.
Several members of the opposition staged a walkout in the Rajya Sabha during the passage of the Bill after demanding its withdrawal and raising slogans against the government. They also tore pages of the Bill, with Chairman CP Radhakrishnan warning them not to go towards the treasury benches.
The opposition parties later sat on a dharna outside the Samvidhan Sadan in the Parliament complex against the Bill and claimed that they would launch a country-wide agitation. TMC MPs decided to remain on a 12-hour dharna in Parliament complex on the stairs of Samvidhan Sadan.
The opposition has also demanded that the Bill be sent to a parliamentary panel for further scrutiny.
Responding to the five-hour discussion on the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Rural Development Minister Shivraj Chouhan accused the Congress of "killing" the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi several times and using his name to further their political gains. "This Bill is very necessary as it will help provide employment opportunities, help development of rural India and take the country forward," the minister said as he moved the Bill for passage.
Chouhan said that during the UPA's rule, MGNREGA was riddled with corruption and the expected amount of funds was not spent on the procurement of material for designated jobs.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a dream of making the country a developed nation for which development of villages is very important.
"I heard the opposition with patience all these hours and expected the opposition to hear my response to the discussion. Making their points, making allegations and running away is like murdering the dreams and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi," he said as the opposition members staged a protest.
"The entire nation is watching their 'goondagardi' and the opposition is committing the sin of insulting democracy. House 'dadagiri se nahin chalega' (this house will not run with such high-handedness)," he said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.