Congress calls new rural jobs law ‘rozgar chori’ as employment generation falls
The Indian National Congress has criticized the government's new rural employment scheme, VB-G RAM G, claiming it has led to a 50% drop in person-days compared to the previous MGNREGA program. Party leaders have labeled the initiative 'rozgar chori' (employment theft) and are demanding accountability regarding funding and support for drought-affected states.
Why it matters
This highlights a significant political dispute over the efficacy and social impact of major rural welfare reforms in India.
The Congress on Monday (August 10, 2026) criticised the Centre over a sharp decline in employment generation under the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [ VB-G RAM G ], which replaced the UPA-era Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), and said the new law should be renamed “rozgar chori” (employment theft).
Data from the Union Rural Development Ministry show that the number of person-days generated under the scheme during its first implementing month of July 2026 was 49.94% lower than the number generated under the MGNREGA in the corresponding month last year. A person-day is a unit that measures the amount of work done by one person in a working day.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, in a post on X, said the BJP had wielded the “lathi” not only against the youth but also against the country’s labourers.
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