ITANAGAR, 7 Jan: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Wednesday said that the revised Vikshit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G-RAM-G) Act would significantly strengthen rural employment, livelihood opportunities, and grassroots development across Arunachal Pradesh, especially in remote and border areas.
Addressing a press conference at the state BJP headquarters, Chowna Mein, along with Arunachal East Lok Sabha member Tapir Gao, welcomed the NDA government’s revised Act and categorically dismissed opposition claims regarding any renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). He clarified that MGNREGA was enacted in 2005 under the UPA government after revisions to the earlier Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana Bill, 2002.
Mein said the revised VB-G-RAM-G Act guarantees 125 days of employment. He added that the Act focuses on water conservation, rural construction, livelihood-supported infrastructure, and disaster management, and is aimed at the upliftment of the agriculture and labour class.
He further stated that from 2014 to 2025-26, MGNREGA received an allocation of about Rs. 48 lakh crore, compared to Rs.12.8 lakh crore during 2006-2014, adding that funding remained robust even during the COVID-19 period.
Lok Sabha member Tapir Gao said that misconceptions raised in Parliament regarding the Act’s nomenclature were clarified, stating that VB-G-RAM-G is purely an acronym. He expressed hope that all stakeholders would acknowledge the clarification and cooperate in the interest of rural development.
The press conference was attended by state BJP president Kaling Moyong, minister for rural development & Panchayati Raj Ojing Tasing, and Tage Taki.
