The Telangana Legislative Assembly recently passed a resolution unequivocally opposing the Central government's proposed replacement of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the new Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025. The resolution, moved by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, demanded the continuation of MGNREGA without any changes, highlighting its crucial role in providing employment and financial security to rural households. Chief Minister Reddy articulated several strong objections to the new VB-G RAM G Act. He argued that the proposed legislation adversely affects the rights of the poor and women workers, compromises the federal structure of the country by imposing an additional financial burden on states, and dilutes the spirit of the original demand-based employment guarantee scheme. Under the new act, states would be required to contribute 40% of the costs, a significant shift from MGNREGA's model where the Centre fully funded the wage component. The Chief Minister also criticized the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme, alleging it weakens the Gandhian philosophy behind the act. Furthermore, concerns were raised regarding the potential reduction in the number of workdays for beneficiaries and the removal of certain types of work, such as land development, which are critical for small and marginal farmers, Dalits, and tribals. The resolution emphasized that 90% of MGNREGA beneficiaries in Telangana belong to SC, ST, and BC communities, with women constituting 62% of the workforce, making the changes particularly impactful for vulnerable sections. While members of the ruling Congress, CPI, and MIM supported the resolution, BJP legislators expressed their opposition by voting against it, underscoring the political divide over the proposed changes to the national rural employment scheme.