Chandigarh, December 20, 2025: The Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Saturday decided to convene a special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on December 30, 2025, to deliberate on the Centre’s move to scrap the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and replace it with the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), also known as the VB-G RAM G scheme.
According to official sources, the special session has been called to hold a detailed discussion on the implications of discontinuing MGNREGA, a flagship rural employment scheme that has been in place for two decades, and the rollout of the newly proposed programme. The state government is expected to place its concerns on record and debate the impact of the policy shift on rural livelihoods in Punjab.
The Cabinet’s decision comes amid mounting political opposition to the Centre’s move, with several parties alleging that the replacement of MGNREGA could adversely affect farmers, labourers and landless households. The Mann-led government is likely to examine the financial, administrative and social consequences of the transition during the special sitting.
The outcome of the December 30 session is expected to shape Punjab’s official stance on the new rural employment framework and its future course of action in response to the Centre’s decision.
