Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
VB-G RAM G Act a ‘death blow’ to rural poor, undermines federalism: Minister Kataruchak
Babuhshai Bureau
Chandigarh, December 30, 2025: Punjab Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs, Forest and Wildlife Preservation Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Monday launched a blistering attack on the Union Government’s Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025, terming it a “death blow” to rural poor and marginalised communities.
Speaking in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha during a discussion on a resolution moved by Cabinet Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sondh, Kataruchak alleged that the new law has effectively snatched away assured employment from the rural poor.
Criticising the financial framework of the new Act, the minister said that under VB-G RAM G, if a state undertakes work beyond the budgetary limits fixed by the Centre, it would have to bear 100 per cent of the expenditure. He contrasted this with the earlier MGNREGA, under which the Centre covered 100 per cent of unskilled labour and administrative costs.
Kataruchak pointed out that the shift to a 60:40 Centre–State cost-sharing model would impose an additional financial burden of thousands of crores on states already under fiscal stress, calling it a direct assault on the spirit of federalism.
Highlighting Punjab’s dependence on MGNREGA as a safety net, he warned that the provision to halt work for 60 days during the agricultural season would severely hit the incomes of job card holders, particularly Scheduled Castes, women and landless families.
He added that while skilled workers might find limited opportunities during this period, they would not receive the guaranteed daily wages provided under MGNREGA.
The minister further cautioned that women and elderly workers would be left without any alternative employment during the non-operational period, depriving them of both work and their legally guaranteed wages.
Kataruchak also raised concerns over increased centralisation under the new scheme. He said that unlike MGNREGA—where Gram Panchayats plan at least 50 per cent of works—the VB-G RAM G framework introduces a National Stack, weakening the role of Gram Sabhas and ignoring local needs.
He warned that heavy reliance on technical monitoring, biometric authentication and geo-spatial systems could further marginalise rural workers. “Technical glitches, server failures or digital exclusion can delay payments or deny work altogether,” he said, terming the situation especially alarming for poor communities lacking access to digital infrastructure.
The minister asserted that Punjab would continue to oppose the Act, warning that it threatens both rural livelihoods and democratic decentralisation.