Karnataka Health Minister Slams Centre’s New VB–G RAM G Act

Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao says VB–G RAM G undermines MGNREGS, burdens states, weakens panchayats, impacts women workers; Congress plans protests

Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has launched a sharp attack on the Union government over the newly introduced Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, known as VB–G RAM G, claiming it undermines the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). He argued that the new law lacks clarity, strips away the guarantee element that defined MGNREGS, and places an unfair burden on states while weakening decentralised decision‑making.

Rao highlighted the impact on rural women, noting that more than half of MGNREGS workers nationwide are women. Karnataka alone has over 73 lakh active job cards, with nearly 37 lakh belonging to women. He criticised the BJP in the state for supporting the new Act despite its potential consequences for female workers who depend on the scheme for livelihood security.

Explaining the financial implications, Rao pointed out that under MGNREGS the Centre bore the entire wage cost, while states contributed 25 percent of material expenses and the Centre covered the rest along with administrative charges. Under the new framework, states will be required to shoulder 40 percent of the overall expenditure, which he described as a heavy financial strain that converts the programme into a routine centrally sponsored scheme rather than a rights‑based entitlement.

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He also accused the Centre of eroding the autonomy of gram panchayats. Under MGNREGS, local bodies executed works worth about ₹1 crore annually and gram sabhas decided which projects to undertake. Rao said the new law allows the Centre to unilaterally list permissible works, undermining grassroots decision‑making and decentralisation. He further objected to the renaming of the scheme, alleging that replacing Mahatma Gandhi’s name with “Ram” was politically motivated.

Citing district‑level data, Rao said Dakshina Kannada alone has around 50,000 active job card holders, with works worth ₹76 crore in 2022–23, ₹65 crore in 2023–24 and ₹64 crore in 2024–25 implemented under MGNREGS. He announced that the Congress will intensify protests and demand the full restoration of the original scheme across the country, insisting that guarantees and local control must not be sacrificed.

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