Opposition Criticizes VB-G RAM G Act Over Funding Formula and Technology Concerns Opposition leaders have raised significant concerns about the newly proposed VB-G RAM G Act, which is set to replace the MGNREGA scheme from July 1. The legislation, which aims to streamline rural employment programs, has drawn criticism for its funding formula, reliance on technology, and perceived erosion of state autonomy. Opposition figures, including CPM leader Brinda Karat, have highlighted practical challenges faced by workers and questioned the fairness of the rules governing the new scheme. Karat, who visited a tribal village in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district, detailed the difficulties encountered by rural laborers under the VB-G RAM G Act. She described how women workers in Barapala faced repeated failures in accessing the online attendance system due to poor internet connectivity. “Scores of women waited for four hours for the official site to open, but the connection was unavailable, and the ‘mate’ in charge had to declare no work would be done that day,” she explained. Karat emphasized that this issue is not isolated, as similar problems have persisted since the MGNREGA was scrapped in December 2025. Under the new act, a “mate” serves as the designated worksite supervisor, tasked with managing attendance and work allocation. Karat noted that workers have received only 18 days of employment between January and June 2026, far below the guaranteed days under MGNREGA. She also highlighted the exclusion of elderly workers due to biometric face recognition systems failing to capture their eye scans, leaving them without work opportunities. The opposition leader criticized the rules governing the VB-G RAM G Act, which were published on May 22 without consultation with rural workers’ organizations.#shivraj_singh_chouhan #vb_g_ram_g_act #cpm_leader_brinda_karat #udaipur_district #barapala
