Rajya Sabha Approves New Employment Bill Amid Opposition Protests

The Rajya Sabha has approved the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, which replaces the MGNREGA, despite significant opposition protests. The new legislation proposes to increase guaranteed workdays and shifts more financial responsibility to states. Opposition leaders have criticized the government for rushing the bill through Parliament without adequate debate. This article explores the details of the bill, the reactions from various political leaders, and the implications for rural employment in India.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 19, 2025, 08:21 IST

Rajya Sabha Passes Employment Bill

In the early hours of Friday, the Rajya Sabha approved the 2025 Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, which aims to replace the 2005 Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). This decision came amidst significant protests from opposition parties.

The Lok Sabha had already passed the bill on Thursday, despite opposition members vocally expressing their dissent by storming the well of the House, criticizing the government for removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from the initiative.

The bill is now set to be forwarded to the president for approval.

Initially introduced in 2005 by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, MGNREGA was designed to improve livelihood security for rural households, guaranteeing 100 days of unskilled work annually for those who sought it, across all districts in India.

While the Union government covers the wage costs, states are responsible for the expenses related to materials and administration.

The new legislation proposes to increase the guaranteed workdays from 100 to 125 and raises the states' financial contribution to 40%.

Following the bill's passage via voice vote in the Rajya Sabha, opposition leaders condemned the government for hastily pushing the legislation through the Upper House, leading to an overnight protest within the Parliament complex.

In a social media update, Sagarika Ghose, deputy leader of the Trinamool Congress in the Rajya Sabha, expressed that the opposition was protesting against the introduction of what they termed an 'anti-poor, anti-people' bill by the Modi administration.

She remarked, 'We received this bill with only five hours' notice and were denied a proper debate.'

Ghose further stated that the opposition demanded the bill be sent to a select committee for thorough examination and discussion among all stakeholders, but their request was ignored.

During the Congress's critique of the bill in the Rajya Sabha, MP Mukul Wasnik highlighted that MGNREGA was passed unanimously after careful scrutiny, questioning whether the same could be said for the current legislation.

He also raised concerns about whether the government consulted state authorities before increasing their financial obligations and requested documentation of such consultations.

MP M Thambidurai from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam criticized the government's decision to raise the states' share of costs, arguing that if states are to cover 40% of the expenses, they should receive 100% of the taxes and cesses collected by the Centre.

The proposed bill outlines that the Union government will determine the annual state-wise allocation based on 'objective parameters' and stipulates that only the Union government can designate rural areas for the scheme's implementation.

For the North East states, Himalayan regions (Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh), and Union Territories with legislatures (like Jammu and Kashmir), the contribution will be 10% of the scheme's funding, while the Centre will cover all costs in Union Territories without legislatures.

The legislation maintains that individuals are entitled to a daily unemployment allowance if work is not provided within 15 days of application, with the financial burden of this allowance falling on state governments.