The Rajya Sabha passed the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, late Thursday amid chaotic opposition protests, promising 100 days of rural jobs at ₹325 daily for millions-now awaiting presidential assent. (35 words)

The Rajya Sabha cleared the VB-G RAM G Bill late on 18 December 2025, despite fierce protests from opposition MPs who stormed the Well of the House, raised slogans like “Dictatorship not democracy,” and threw papers, forcing a voice vote amid pandemonium.

Introduced by Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the Lok Sabha on 10 December, the bill guarantees 100 days of employment per year at ₹325 per day for rural households, targeting 10 crore families under the Viksit Bharat vision.

Chouhan called it a “game-changer for rural empowerment,” while opposition leaders like Congress’s Jairam Ramesh decried it as “rushed and undebated.” As of Friday morning, the bill heads to President Droupadi Murmu for approval, with no immediate updates on her decision.

Chaotic Passage Highlights Deep Partisan Rifts

The Upper House descended into disorder around 11 PM as over 50 opposition MPs, including from Congress, Trinamool Congress, and Samajwadi Party, surged forward in protest. They demanded more time for debate, alleging the government stifled discussion on a bill affecting rural livelihoods.

Deputy Chairman Harivansh suspended 11 MPs for disruption, including prominent voices like TMC’s Derek O’Brien and Congress’s Pramod Tiwari. Papers flew across the chamber, and slogans echoed as the voice vote proceeded—ayes drowning out nays in the government’s majority.

Minister Chouhan, defending the bill earlier, stated: “This is not just employment; it’s a guarantee for dignity and self-reliance for 10 crore rural families.” Post-passage, BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan echoed this on X: “Opposition’s drama can’t stop pro-poor reforms.”

Eyewitnesses, including journalists in the press gallery, described a floor littered with torn documents, humanising the raw tensions in India’s parliamentary democracy. This marks the bill’s second stormy passage after similar Lok Sabha chaos on 10 December.

Bill’s Scope: Expanding Beyond MGNREGA

At its core, the VB-G RAM G Bill builds on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) of 2005 but introduces broader guarantees. It promises not only 100 days of unskilled wage work but also support for self-employment, skill training, and livelihood projects like animal husbandry and agro-forestry.

Key statistics underscore its ambition: it targets rural households earning below ₹2 lakh annually, with a projected outlay of ₹2.5 lakh crore over five years, per government estimates. The daily wage of ₹325 aligns with state minimums but exceeds MGNREGA’s current ₹220-250 average.

Rural Development Secretary Shailesh Kumar Singh clarified in a briefing: “This integrates technology for transparent job cards and direct benefit transfers, reducing leakages that plague existing schemes.”

Human stories emerge from pilot areas: in Rajasthan’s Barmer district, early trials under similar initiatives have employed 5 lakh women in water conservation, boosting household incomes by 25%, according to a recent NITI Aayog report. Yet, critics question funding sustainability amid fiscal pressures.

Roots in Rural Distress and Policy Evolution

The bill responds to mounting rural woes, with National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) data revealing 7.5% unemployment in rural India as of Q3 2025-up from 5.8% pre-monsoon-exacerbated by erratic rains slashing kharif yields by 15%.

MGNREGA demand has surged 20% this fiscal year, with 6.5 crore households seeking work, per Ministry figures. This follows the government’s Viksit Bharat roadmap from the 2024 Budget, emphasising ‘guarantee schemes’ for youth and farmers.

Preceding events include Lok Sabha approval on 10 December after 12 hours of debate, marred by protests, and a select committee review that opposition claims was perfunctory. Jairam Ramesh tweeted: “Passing bills via muscle, not merit, erodes trust in Parliament.”

Meanwhile, farmer unions like BKU have welcomed job assurances but demanded inflation-linked wages. Post-Rajya Sabha, no violence ensued, unlike 2024 farm law protests, but social media buzzes with #RuralJobsOrDrama.

Government’s Broader Viksit Bharat Vision

VB-G RAM G fits into Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’ agenda, aiming for a developed India through five pillars: employment, skilling, urbanisation, women’s empowerment, and sustainability. Similar bills for urban jobs and apprenticeships are in pipeline.

Economists like Arvind Panagariya praise it as “demand-driven growth,” projecting 2-3% GDP uplift via rural spending. However, Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy data warns of implementation gaps, with only 60% MGNREGA funds utilised last year due to labour shortages.

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

The bill’s rural job pledge embodies empathy for struggling families, aligning with our values of kindness and coexistence by tackling hunger and inequality head-on.

Yet, its passage through uproar-suspensions, slogans, and scant debate-undermines the harmony democracy requires. True progress thrives on dialogue, not division; lawmakers must model empathy to build trust.