Minister Tinku Roy slams opposition over MGNREGA renaming row

Minister for Social Welfare and Social Education, Tinku Roy on Friday came down heavily on the opposition, accusing them of deliberately spreading misinformation about the renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). 

He alleged that daily protests being staged across the state were misleading the public and diverting attention from the real issues of employment and wages.

Addressing a press conference from the Pradesh BJP headquarters in Krishnanagar, Agartala, Roy clarified that India’s rural employment framework has a long history, predating MGNREGA. He recalled earlier initiatives such as Relief Work, Food for Work, and the National Rural Employment Programme (NREP), which eventually culminated in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in 2005. 

"Four years later, in 2009, Mahatma Gandhi’s name was added, giving rise to the widely recognized MGNREGA. Nearly two decades on, the scheme has now been restructured and renamed as the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), popularly referred to as the VB-G Ram Ji Project", he said.

Roy described the new framework as a significant reform, pointing out that the number of guaranteed employment days has been raised from 100 to 125. He said structural weaknesses of the earlier scheme have been addressed to ensure greater transparency, better planning, and stronger accountability. 

The minister stressed that the revamped project is designed to strengthen rural economies by creating durable assets, raising household incomes, and enhancing resilience against both natural and financial shocks.

Citing expenditure figures, Roy contrasted the UPA government’s spending of Rs 2.13 lakh crore on MGNREGA with the NDA government’s allocation of nearly Rs 7.8 lakh crore between 2015 and 2025. “These figures clearly demonstrate the NDA’s consistent commitment to rural development,” he asserted.

Roy further criticized the opposition for focusing only on the change of name rather than the substantive improvements in employment and wages. “This is an attempt to tarnish the image of developmental projects,” he remarked, urging citizens not to be swayed by rumors.

He reaffirmed that the government remains firmly committed to protecting the interests of rural communities and ensuring that reforms translate into tangible benefits for the people.