The introduction of the Bill on Tuesday had seen protests by the Opposition, with demands that it be withdrawn. On Wednesday, the Lok Sabha debated the Bill for eight hours, stretching up to 1.30 am, past midnight. Union Minister of Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan replied to the debate on Thursday amid constant slogans from Opposition members, who were chanting MGNREGA.

NREGA was first not named after Gandhiji: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Chouhan said in his reply that it was violence on the part of the Opposition to say what they wanted without listening to the government’s reply, adding that they were going against the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi in doing so. He added that he was “bowing before the feet of Mahatma Gandhi”, and asserted that Gandhi was the government’s inspiration and that the ruling party followed his teachings.

“NREGA was first not named after Mahatma Gandhi. It was when the 2009 elections came that they remembered Bapu and added his name. But if someone implemented it properly, it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Chouhan said. “They do drama. The Modi government actually works.”

Chouhan said that the expenditure on MGNREGA was about Rs 2,13, 220 crore under the UPA Government and about Rs 8,53,810 crore under the Modi government. He gave other statistics to assert that the Modi Government had done much better than the UPA government.

“There were many faults with MGNREGA. We have brought a new Bill to replace it,” Chouhan said.

He said that 60 per cent of the money in MGNREGA was for workers and it came from the Centre, while 40 per cent of the funding that should be borne by the states was for material. But the states made no expenses on materials. “Some states spent 19-20 per cent on material,” he said, adding that corruption had become rampant under MGNREGA.

“Did they not pocket the money?” he asked, adding that it had become necessary to make it more transparent.

‘VB-G RAM G scheme aims at a developed India’

Chouhan said that after much consultation, it was found necessary to have a rethink on MGNREGA. “So we decided to bring a new scheme in place of MGNREGA. We have made a provision for more employment and to use the large amounts to create fully developed villages. We are guaranteeing employment in this scheme. Its aim will be Viksit Bharat,” Chouhan asserted, saying that VB-G RAM G scheme aims at a developed India through developed villages.

He alleged that the Congress, during its tenure, had reduced the expenditure on MGNREGA, and that they did not provide adequate employment.

Referring to Priyanka Gandhi’s objections to the Bill, Chouhan said that the Congress has stolen the name of Gandhi for itself, but named most schemes, airports, universities, buildings, and hospitals after the Nehru family.

Chouhan asserted that in 1948, Gandhi had said that the Congress should be dissolved because Independence had been achieved, but Jawaharlal Nehru did not budge. He also blamed the Congress for the Partition as well as the Emergency.

Chauhan defended the RSS and Hindutva in his reply, associating Hindutva with verses like Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is a family), Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah (may all beings be happy), and Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti (the truth is one; people worship it in different ways).

He said that work to revive the water table would also be undertaken under this scheme, and new ponds and wells will be dug. He added that roads, better schools, playgrounds, etc, would be built under it.

Before this, the Opposition on Wednesday attacked the Bill for removing the name of Mahatma Gandhi from the rural job guarantee scheme.

Mohua Moitra of the TMC said that it was Rabindranath Tagore who called Gandhi the Mahatma, meaning the “great soul”, and changing the name was dishonour both to the Mahatma and Gurudev.

Lacks protection to people’s legal right to work: Kanimozhi

DMK member Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said the proposed Bill fails to protect the legal right of people to work.

BJP’s P P Chaudhary said the UPA government could not spend the MGNREGA budget. “Gandhi ji never thought they would name a scheme in his name and loot the money,” he said.

Earlier, opposing the Bill when it was introduced on Tuesday, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi said that the Bill “weakens the legal right of employment provided under MGNREGA”. She pointed out that unlike the MGNREG Act, under which the Centre provides 90 per cent of the funds, it will be reduced to 60% now. “This will hit the finances of the state governments, especially those waiting for GST compensation,” she said.

Shashi Tharoor also opposed the introduction of the Bill for removing the Mahatma’s name, adding that there were also issues with the proposed financial restructuring in the Bill. “Under G RAM G, the central government has shifted 40 per cent of the financial burden of the scheme to the states,” he said.