The Punjab Vidhan Sabha’s resolution seeking the repeal of the Viksit Bharat‑Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin (VB-G RAM G) Act and the restoration of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has found echo at the grassroots.
Local panchayats intensify call for MGNREGA repeal reversal
Village panchayats in several districts have begun passing formal resolutions that mirror the state assembly’s demand. In Balloh in Bathinda district, the gram panchayat unanimously recorded a resolution in the gram sabha proceedings opposing the VB-G RAM G Act and urging a return to MGNREGA. Khunde Halal panchayat in Muktsar had earlier adopted a similar stance.
Panchayat members said their resolutions were intended to defend employment, rights and dignity for rural workers covered under the national employment guarantee. They stressed that the panchayat’s role extends beyond physical development to safeguarding the livelihoods of the working class.
Unions stage protests and submit memorandums
Workers’ unions across the state have organised protests and handed over memorandums to district authorities. The MGNREGA Mazdoor Union (CITU) demonstrated outside the Barnala district administrative complex and submitted petitions addressed to the President of India and the Prime Minister.
Similarly, the Deshwasi Vidyarathi Lok Bhalai Sangathan held a protest at the Bathinda administrative complex demanding the repeal of the VB-G RAM G Act. Activists with the MGNREGA Employees’ Action Committee in Bathinda have expressed frustration with political parties that they say have not taken effective steps to halt what they describe as a weakening of MGNREGA over the past two years.
During a recent demonstration outside the Bathinda district administrative complex, demonstrators warned opposition leaders that they would intensify pressure, including gherao tactics and direct questioning of party representatives, if concrete action was not taken.
Why rural labour groups oppose the new act
Supporters of MGNREGA argue the scheme provides a guaranteed legal right to work for rural households and a crucial safety net during lean seasons. The replacements proposed under the VB-G RAM G Act have raised concerns among workers and local leaders who fear reduced entitlements, weakened wage protections and loss of local control over work allocation.
Local leaders and unions say that restoring MGNREGA is essential to protect millions of rural livelihoods, prevent distress migration and ensure a predictable flow of wage employment in villages. They have called on state and national policymakers to heed the grassroots demands and engage in dialogue with workers’ organisations and panchayats.
Outlook
With resolutions from both the state assembly and multiple village panchayats, the campaign to roll back the VB-G RAM G Act has gained formal momentum in Punjab. Continued protests and petitions to central authorities suggest the issue will remain a focal point of rural mobilisation in the state. Observers say how political parties respond could determine whether the dispute is resolved through negotiation or escalates into broader demonstrations.
For now, panchayats and unions appear set to maintain pressure until the central government addresses demands for the reinstatement of MGNREGA or provides assurances on the proposed replacement’s protections for rural workers.
Key Takeaways:
- Panchayats across Punjab, including Balloh and Khunde Halal, have passed resolutions opposing the VB-G RAM G Act and calling for the MGNREGA repeal to be reversed.
- Workers’ unions staged protests and submitted memorandums to district authorities, urging the President and Prime Minister to restore MGNREGA.
- Activists warned opposition parties over inaction and pledged intensified mobilisation to protect rural employment rights.
