Kiren Rijiju Slams MGNREGA, Says New VB-G-RAM G Act to Drive Rural Transformation

Lucknow, Jan 2026 : Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the now-replaced Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), terming it a corruption-ridden scheme that failed to bring meaningful development to rural India despite massive expenditure. Addressing reporters after a BJP public awareness workshop on the VB-G-RAM G Act at Gomtinagar in Lucknow, Rijiju said the new legislation would usher in visible and lasting change, particularly in Uttar Pradesh.

Rijiju stated that more than ₹11 lakh crore was spent under MGNREGA, yet the scheme did not deliver the intended outcomes. “The old law, which was called MGNREGA, became nothing more than a guarantee of loot. Despite enormous spending, it failed to ensure real rural development,” he said. He further alleged that the scheme did not effectively channel funds to states like Uttar Pradesh, where employment generation was most urgently needed.

Highlighting the potential of the new “Viksit Bharat – G RAM G Act,” the Union Minister said Uttar Pradesh would witness the biggest transformation in the next two to three years. “Uttar Pradesh has the largest population and the highest number of villages in the country. Naturally, when change happens here, it will be on the largest scale. A clear difference will be visible very soon,” he asserted.

Rijiju also pointed to the development witnessed in Uttar Pradesh over the last decade under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and after the BJP came to power in the state. According to him, infrastructure growth, welfare delivery, and governance reforms have significantly altered the development landscape. He said the new rural employment and development framework would build on this progress and ensure that benefits reach villages more efficiently.

The Minister stressed the need for sustained public outreach to counter misinformation surrounding the new law. “There are many myths being spread about the VB-G-RAM G Act. It is essential to run awareness campaigns so that people understand its provisions and villages receive full benefits,” he said. Rijiju added that continuous programmes and workshops are being organised across Uttar Pradesh to ensure effective implementation of the law as part of the broader ‘Developed India’ vision.

Responding to criticism from the Opposition, Rijiju accused them of indulging in habitual false propaganda. Drawing a parallel with the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), he said similar fears were spread earlier, including claims that Muslims would lose citizenship, which proved entirely baseless. “Now, the same tactics are being used to mislead people about the new rural job law,” he said, adding that the BJP would counter such narratives through facts and public engagement.

Rijiju reiterated that the government remains committed to transparent, outcome-oriented rural development that delivers tangible results on the ground.
Team Maverick.