New Delhi: Ahead of the rollout of Modi government’s Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) – or the VB-G RAM G scheme – which replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MG-NREGA), the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha (NSM) has demanded that the VB-G RAM G Scheme implementation be immediately halted, saying the draft rules were formulated “opaquely”, with stakeholders given little to no time to review and respond. In a press statement, the NSM strongly objected to the manner in which it was being introduced, criticising how it was rushed through both Houses of parliament in under a week, with “no meaningful space for NREGA workers or civil society to participate”.“This trend has continued into the public consultation for the GRAMG Act’s draft rules. The rules were released on 23 May 2026, with the feedback deadline set for 21st June — yet MoRD (Ministry of Rural Development) has already announced GRAMG will be implemented from 1st July. The consultation is plainly a farce; the Ministry has no intention of meaningfully engaging with public recommendations,” the statement said.The the draft rules for the VB-G RAM G, announced on May 24, is set to take effect on July 1. It is open to public for objections and suggestions until June 21, include employing the 16th Finance Commission’s horizontal devolution formula to determine central allocations.Comparing it with the MeitY’s stakeholder meetings and adequate comment period for the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, the workers’ union said that the VB-GRAMG draft rules were formulated opaquely, which they say proves that the Modi government has “no concern for workers’ interests”.“NREGA was a people’s Act — the culmination of years of worker struggle and grassroots mobilisation. Its replacement with an opaque, arbitrary, and undemocratic statute constitutes a direct assault on worker rights. The draft rules make abundantly clear what unions have asserted for years: that the Modi Government has no concern for workers’ interests,” they stated.The NSM also pointed out that the rules retain the features of MGNREGA that workers across the country have been protesting against for years, including the coercive use of technology and abysmally low wage rates. They also highlighted that in the buffer period between NREGA’s replacement with VB-GRAMG, many people are facing issues with applications.“Despite repeated MoRD assurances that NREGA would continue smoothly until VB-GRAMG commences, the ground reality is starkly different. Local officials are not accepting work demand applications or opening worksites, and over Rs. 3,200 crore of wage payments are still pending from FY 25-26. There is overwhelming evidence of disruption: MoRD’s own data shows NREGA employment between April 2025 and April 2026 was 57% lower, with a 49% decline in May. Further, facial recognition related issues are causing havoc with attendance, leading to significant exclusions,” the statement read.“The implementation of VB-GRAMG must be immediately and unconditionally halted,” the NSM demanded, adding that a “fair and transparent public consultation process must be established before any implementation proceeds, with adequate time and access for worker representatives and civil society organisations to participate meaningfully.”The draft rules must be revised through genuine engagement with stakeholders, addressing long-standing concerns around the use of technology and wage rates, they said.“Proceeding without a legitimate consultation process will inevitably lead to chaos and cause further irreparable harm to workers and their families. NSM holds the Government accountable for the consequences of any hasty implementation,” they said.