Parliament Clears Renaming Bill and Secures Presidential Assent The VB‑G RAM G Bill, which replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), passed both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Dec 22 2025 and received the President’s assent the same day, formally effecting the name change. The legislation eliminates the Gandhi reference and rebrands the scheme as a “rural employment guarantee” under the new title. The passage triggered an organized walkout by opposition leaders across parties, signaling broad political dissent. [1]

Chief Minister Banerjee Condemns Renaming as Threat to National Identity West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, speaking at a Kolkata administrative meeting, warned that stripping Gandhi’s name from the flagship job program could accelerate national decline, framing the change as an assault on India’s identity. She clarified that she does not oppose the spiritual “Ram Naam” element of the bill but objects to the removal of Gandhi’s legacy. Banerjee’s remarks echo earlier statements made on Dec 18, when she announced the state’s own renaming of its scheme to “Mahatma‑Shree.” [1][2]

West Bengal Pre‑Empts Centre by Renaming State Scheme to Mahatma‑Shree In December 2025, the West Bengal government renamed its Karmashree rural job guarantee program to Mahatma‑Shree, directly referencing Gandhi as a counter‑symbol to the central government’s overhaul. The original Karmashree, launched in the 2024‑25 budget, promised 50 days of wage employment per year for unskilled rural workers holding MGNREGA job cards. The state’s renaming move was presented as a protest and a reaffirmation of Gandhi’s legacy. [2]

Funding Freeze Since 2022 Leaves Workers in Limbo Both articles note that MGNREGA funds in West Bengal have been suspended since April 2022 following allegations of corruption in scheme implementation. The Calcutta High Court and later the Supreme Court ordered the Union and state governments to resume the 100‑day work guarantee, but as of December 2025 workers remain without wages. The legal directives have not translated into actual fund releases, intensifying rural unemployment concerns. [1][2]

Legal and Political Tensions Persist Over Rural Employment Guarantees The dual pressures of a centrally imposed name change and state‑level protests illustrate a growing rift between New Delhi and regional administrations. While the central government frames the VB‑G RAM G Bill as a modernization effort, opposition parties and West Bengal portray it as erasing historical symbolism. The unresolved funding and implementation gaps suggest that the policy shift may face prolonged administrative and judicial challenges. [1][2]