Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan speaks in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing budget session in New Delhi on March 17, 2026. Photo: Sansad TV via ANI.
Allocations for rural development projects have increased under the Narendra Modi government as compared to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said in response to a debate in the Rajya Sabha on his ministry’s work on Tuesday (Mar 17, 2026). While the Congress accused others of forgetting Mahatma Gandhi, under his regime most projects were named after members of the Nehru family, Mr. Chouhan said.
The Congress lacked clear policy, leadership and intent, Mr. Chouhan said. Protests against changing the name of MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) to VB-G RAM G (Viksit Bharat-Garantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin)) Act failed because the country did not stand with them, he said.
He mocked Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for wearing jeans during the protests, saying that the dates of the protests were repeatedly announced and rescheduled, first to January 5; then January 8; and later, January 10. “Still, the agitation failed to gain momentum. I traveled all over the country looking for this mahasangram (great battle), but the earth did not shake or the sky crack, not even a leaf moved,” Mr. Chouhan said.
Attacking the West Bengal government, the Union minister said the findings of a social audit from the state had reported nearly 11 lakh irregularities in the implementation of MGNREGA, including fake job cards, fake muster rolls, machinery replacing workers and alleged irregularities in funding. Defending the VB-G RAM G Act, Mr. Chouhan said that it is an improved framework for rural employment and the new structure provides stronger safeguards to workers while improving productivity.
“The new framework proposes to increase the guaranteed period of employment from 100 days to 125 days, along with improved wages, provisions for unemployment benefits and legal safeguards such as interest payments in the event of late payment of wages,” he said.
Rejecting the opposition’s allegation that the allocations for the rural jobs scheme had decreased during the Modi regime, he said the Union government had made a record allocation of ₹95,692 crore in the Union Budget for the new initiative.
Published – 17 March 2026 22:58 IST
