Farm workers’ unions, activists announce protest from July 1 for VB-G RAM G repeal

Published 17 June 2026 · india

The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha and the Joint Platform for Agricultural and Rural Workers’ Unions on Wednesday announced an indefinite countrywide protest from July 1, demanding

The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha and the Joint Platform for Agricultural and Rural Workers’ Unions on Wednesday announced an indefinite countrywide protest from July 1, demanding the repeal of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G). The VB-G RAM G scheme will come into force on July 1, replacing the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), launched by the Congress-led UPA government in 2006. Announcing the protest at a press conference here, the organisations rejected the government’s claim that the new scheme would increase the number of guaranteed work days from 100 to 125 per rural household. They cited the recent budgetary allocation to show that the funds, in the best-case scenario, would provide only 42 days of work in a financial year. The organisations said the protests would continue until the proposed law is repealed. Taking a decentralised approach, these would be held at the panchayat level, the activists said. Fewer work days An analysis of the Centre’s proposed interim allocations announced on June 9 indicates a significant gap between the promised 125 days of work and the employment that can actually be generated, the activists said.

In major States, the allocations would support far fewer person-days per active job card – Andhra Pradesh (42.35 days), Chhattisgarh (39.07), Bihar (30.94), Karnataka (26.44), Madhya Pradesh (25.66), Uttar Pradesh (27.50), Maharashtra (14.40), and Haryana (13.78). The VB-G RAM G draft rules require States to contribute 40% of the programme cost, putting an unprecedented burden on the States, said Nikhil Dey of the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha. No major State has allocations sufficient to provide even half of the promised 125 days, the organisations said. The funding shortfall is also reflected in the additional resources required to meet the proposed guarantee. Estimates suggest that States would need substantial extra funds, including ₹27,987 crore in Uttar Pradesh, ₹31,013 crore in Maharashtra, ₹22,549 crore in Rajasthan, and ₹27,212 crore in Tamil Nadu, among others. The government, which released the draft rules on May 22, has given time till June 20 to submit feedback. Giving a preview of the feedback that will be sent to the Ministry of Rural Development, Mr. Dey said, “Our first demand is that VB-G RAM G is rolled back and the NREGA, which is a demand-based employment guarantee programme, be brought back.” Criticising VB-G RAM G, Mr. Dey said it removed the entire demand-based infrastructure.