Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday criticised the government over its decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, questioning the motive behind dropping Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the scheme. She said Gandhi remains one of the most respected leaders not only in India but across the world, and removing his name raises serious concerns about the government’s intent.

The criticism comes as the government prepares to introduce a new bill in the Lok Sabha to repeal MGNREGA and replace it with the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin Bill 2025. The proposed legislation aims to establish a new rural employment framework while formally withdrawing the 2005 Act.

Reacting to the move, Priyanka Gandhi pointed out that changing the name of a major scheme involves significant administrative costs, including updates to offices and official materials. She questioned the practical benefit of such a change and asked why public money should be spent on renaming instead of addressing real public concerns. She added that the focus of parliamentary discussions has shifted away from people’s issues, leading to a waste of both time and resources.

The new bill seeks to align rural development efforts with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 by guaranteeing 125 days of wage employment each financial year to rural households willing to undertake unskilled manual work. It has been listed in the supplementary business agenda of the Lok Sabha.

Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that MGNREGA has supported rural families through guaranteed employment for the past two decades. However, he said further reforms are needed due to major socio economic changes in rural areas and the expanded reach of social security and government welfare schemes.