Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said that the VB-G RAM G law, which replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), was duly passed by Parliament and must be implemented.
Speaking to the media after an all-party meeting held ahead of the Budget Session, Rijiju said the Opposition’s demand for a discussion on the VB-G RAM G law during the upcoming session could not be accommodated.
“We can't reverse gear and go back to the past. It cannot happen,” he said.
Responding to the Opposition’s allegations that the government had not shared its legislative agenda, the Law Minister said established parliamentary procedures were being followed. He clarified that the government’s business is shared after the President’s address at the start of the first session of the year.
Rijiju’s remarks come amid continued Opposition criticism over the replacement of MGNREGA with VB-G RAM G law.
What is VB-G RAM G Act
The Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 marks a major overhaul of India’s rural employment and livelihood framework, formally replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act(MGNREGA), 2005. The new law establishes a redesigned approach to providing work and income security in rural areas nationwide.
The Bill was introduced in Parliament in December 2025 and taken up for deliberation during the Winter Session. It received approval from the Lok Sabha on December 18, followed by clearance from the Rajya Sabha in the early hours of December 19. The legislative process concluded when the President gave assent on December 21, bringing the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 into force and officially superseding the earlier MGNREGA regime.
