Tripura Minister Tinku Roy today accused opposition parties of deliberately spreading misinformation regarding the renaming of the MGNREGA scheme, saying their actions are causing confusion among the people of the state. Speaking at a press conference, he noted that opposition members continue to protest in various parts of the state, focusing on the name rather than the substance of the program.

Minister Ray explained that even before the introduction of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), India had several initiatives aimed at providing rural employment and social security, such as Relief Work, Food-for-Work schemes, and the National Rural Employment Programme (NREP). These schemes gradually evolved into the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in 2005. In 2009, Mahatma Gandhi’s name was added, giving the program the widely known title, MGNREGA. Nearly 20 years later, the scheme has been renamed the VB-GRAMG Project.

He described the new VB-GRAMG Act as a major reform compared to MGNREGA. The updated law increases the number of guaranteed employment days from 100 to 125 and addresses structural weaknesses in the old law, aiming to improve employment generation, transparency, planning, and accountability. The project also seeks to strengthen the rural economy by creating productive assets, increasing income, and making rural communities more resilient to natural and financial crises.

Highlighting government spending, Minister Ray stated that during the UPA government, MGNREGA’s total expenditure was Rs 2,13,000 crore, while under the NDA government between 2015 and 2025, the spending rose to approximately Rs 7,80,000 crore. “These figures clearly show that the NDA government has consistently taken positive steps toward rural development,” he said.

Criticizing the opposition, he said, “Instead of discussing employment and wages, the opposition is merely politicizing the name. This attempt undermines the image of a development-oriented project.” He urged the public not to be misled by rumors and assured that the government remains committed to the welfare of rural citizens.