Siddaramaiah calls upon farmers to ‘unanimously oppose’ VB G-RAM-G Act

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called upon farmers of the State to “unanimously oppose” the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025, brought in by the Union government in place of the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA) Act, 2005. He was speaking after inaugurating this year’s edition of International Trade and Organic Fair here on Friday.

This comes days after the State government passed a resolution demanding the reinstatement of MGNREG Act, 2005 repealing the VB G-RAM-G Act, 2025. On the floor of the House, the Chief Minister and several Congress leaders had vowed to take the struggle against the new law to the streets and warned the BJP that this could again trigger an agitation like the one that successfully forced the Union government to backtrack on farm laws.

Mr. Siddaramaiah alleged that MGNREGA was scrapped without consulting State governments and replaced with the VB-G RAM G Act, from which Mahatma Gandhi’s name has been removed. He told farmers across Karnataka to demand the reinstatement of MGNREGA and reject the new law.

Criticising the Centre’s move, the Chief Minister said MGNREG Act, 2005, introduced during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s tenure, had ensured employment for women, tribal people and labourers, with works decided at the gram sabha level. He pointed out that these powers have now been centralised, with the Union government deciding works and grants. Under MGNREG Act, 2005, he said, the Centre earlier bore the full wage cost and guaranteed 100 days of work, whereas under the new arrangement, only 60% of the subsidy is provided, leaving States to bear the remaining 40%.

Mr. Siddaramaiah said the State government had reinstated the Krishi Bhagya Yojana, which he termed as one of the most important promises fulfilled from the Congress manifesto. “The scheme, which was suspended during the previous BJP government’s tenure, has now been revived with an allocation of about ₹200 crore,” he said, highlighting other welfare schemes such as Shakti, Gruha Jyothi and Gruha Lakshmi, describing them as crucial for women.