The Congress has expressed concerns over the VB G RAM G Act, a substitute for MGNREGA, and accused the Centre of bulldozing the repeal without consulting stakeholders.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said several states, including BJP-governed ones like Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Uttarakhand, have opposed the new law due to its additional expenditure burden.
Four state governments have also opposed the blackout period during the peak agricultural season, while at least five states have sought an increase in rural workers' wages.
Ramesh said the VB G RAM G Act guarantees only centralisation and further financial stress on states, unlike MGNREGA which derived its right to work from the Constitution.
The Centre had announced the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act to replace MGNREGA from July 1, promising 125 days of statutory wage employment to rural households.
