Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Malvinder Singh Kang on Tuesday strongly opposed the Centre’s proposed ‘VB-G RAM G’ Bill during the Winter Session of Parliament, terming it a dangerous and regressive step aimed at weakening and effectively dismantling MGNREGA, the country’s largest social security programme for rural labourers.
Participating in the debate on this bill, Kang drew a sharp parallel with the now-repealed farm laws. He said that just as the anti-farmer laws had triggered nationwide protests because they threatened farmers’ livelihoods, the proposed changes to MGNREGA pose a similar threat to India’s poorest, unskilled and most vulnerable workers.
Kang said that MGNREGA is not merely an employment scheme but a critical social security net. He recalled that after its introduction, there were countless stories from villages where families could afford dignified living, and for the first time, festivals like Diwali were celebrated with joy in poor households due to assured employment and income.
Raising serious objections to specific provisions of the bill, the AAP MP pointed out that clauses restricting work during peak agricultural seasons would leave labourers without employment precisely when they need income the most. “If rural workers are denied work during crucial periods, what alternative livelihood will they have?” he asked.
On the financial front, Kang criticised the proposed reduction in the Centre’s contribution from 90% to 60%, shifting an increased burden onto states. He argued that states are already under severe financial stress, with the bulk of revenues being collected by the Centre through GST, leaving states with limited resources.
Expecting states to shoulder a higher share, he said, is unrealistic and unfair. Referring to Punjab’s financial condition, Kang highlighted how previous regimes had left the state with a massive debt burden. He questioned how states, already struggling financially, could sustain MGNREGA if the Centre withdraws its responsibility.
Kang categorically demanded that the original funding pattern of 90% Central share and 10% State share must be retained, and urged the Union government not to dilute its commitment to rural employment. He also raised the issue of extremely low MGNREGA wages, stating that current rates are insufficient for basic survival.
Kang demanded that the minimum daily wage under MGNREGA be increased to ₹500, with adequate central support to help states implement this fairly. Concluding his intervention, Kang asserted that the vision of a “Viksit Bharat” cannot be achieved by weakening villages.
“India can only become developed when its villages are strong, and villages can only be strong when farmers and labourers are secure,” he said, calling for robust social security provisions instead of policies that undermine rural livelihoods.