Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan introduced the bill to create a modern statutory framework in line with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, providing a guarantee of 125 days of wage employment per rural household for adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work
The NDA-led Union government has proposed a new bill to replace the decades-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), signalling a broader revamp of the rural employment framework. The draft legislation, titled the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (GRAMIN), or VB-G RaM G Bill, was tabled by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The bill aims to create a modern statutory framework in line with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, providing a guarantee of 125 days of wage employment per rural household for adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work.
Welfare schemes revamped under the Modi government
Across all three tenures of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party government, several long-running programmes have been revamped and relaunched in updated forms. The National Food Security Scheme was reintroduced as the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, the Indira Awas Yojana was renamed the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission was replaced by the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).
In 2014, the Swachh Bharat Mission replaced the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, while Make in India replaced the National Manufacturing Policy. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana replaced the Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account scheme, PAHAL replaced the Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG, and Mission Indradhanush replaced the Universal Immunisation Programme.
In 2015, several programmes were rolled out, including Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana replacing the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana, Digital India replacing the National e-Governance Plan, and BharatNet replacing the National Optic Fibre Network. The same year also saw the introduction of Atal Pension Yojana following the Swavalamban Scheme, Sagarmala replacing the National Maritime Development Programme, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana replacing the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme, AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) replacing JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission), Skill India replacing the National Skill Development Mission, and Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana replacing the Jan Aushadhi scheme.
In 2016, the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana replaced the Indira Awaas Yojana, while the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana replaced the Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme. More recently, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, replaced the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.
Public spaces and institutions updated
Alongside welfare programmes, several major roads and public landmarks have also been relaunched with updated names since 2014. Race Course Road was relaunched as Lok Kalyan Marg in 2016, Aurangzeb Road as Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road in 2015, and Dalhousie Road as Dara Shikoh Road in 2017. Teen Murti Chowk was relaunched as Teen Murti Haifa Chowk in 2018, while Rajpath and the Central Vista lawns stretching from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate were relaunched as Kartavya Path in 2022.
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