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Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday strongly criticised the Centre's move to bring a bill to replace Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), saying that change will not come by altering names but by actually working for people.
"They renamed railway stations and cities. I fear that they will rename even the country to Deen Dayal Upadhay Nagar," Mann said. Emphasising the need for performance over symbolism, he added, "Change will come about only if you actually work. Nothing will happen if you rename." Drawing a sharp analogy, the Chief Minister remarked, "If I rename you (a journalist) Messi, will people come to Chandigarh to see you?" he asked. Mann stressed that the focus should remain on timely wage payments and accountability under the employment guarantee scheme. "Rename it to whatever you want, but give wages to the people...The wages should go to the right person and not to someone else who did not actually work," he said, underscoring concerns over leakages and delays in payments. The government introduced 'The Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): VB - G RAM G Bill, 2025' in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with several Opposition MPs, staged a protest at the Parliament premises, objecting to the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the flagship rural employment scheme. Opposition leaders have accused the government of attempting to dilute the legacy and intent of the programme through symbolic changes. The Bill introduced by the Agricultural Minister in the Lok Sabha proposes key amendments to the scheme. It seeks to increase guaranteed wage employment from 100 to 125 days per rural household for adult members willing to do unskilled manual work. According to Section 22 of the Bill, the Centre and states will share funds in a 60:40 ratio, while for the North Eastern States, Himalayan States, and Union Territories (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir), it will be 90:10. (ANI)
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