‘Name change is small issue’: Karnataka may scrap G-RAM-G, mulls own rural jobs scheme; minister flags impact on local development

BENGALURU: The Karnataka govt is considering rejecting the Centre’s Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Grameen), or G-RAM-G, which has replaced MGNREGA, and is exploring the possibility of rolling out its own rural employment guarantee scheme.

“The Cabinet on Friday condemned G-RAM-G, which has snatched the right to work from the people of this country and is a big blow to the federal structure of the nation,” law and parliamentary affairs minister H K Patil said. He said the Cabinet was united in opposing the new law, which seeks to centralise all projects.


Noting that G-RAM-G falls under the Concurrent List, Patil said the state may consider alternative options, the details of which will be outlined by chief minister Siddaramaiah at a press briefing on Saturday.

Under G-RAM-G, states are required to fund 40% of project costs. “This act is nothing but an attempt to help Central govt contractors by providing them with labour while reducing their own burden,” he said.

The name change is a small issue, the bigger problem is centralisation and the snatching of work from people in need,” Patil reasoned.

He added that the new law would hurt gram panchayats the most and adversely affect local development.
Sources said opting for a state-run scheme would mean forgoing 60% of Central funding under the new act.
In 2024-25, Karnataka had received Rs 5,580 crore from the Centre under the erstwhile MGNREGA, providing work to 21.2 lakh households. Under G-RAM-G, this would effectively drop to Rs 3,720 crore.

“If we are to save the jobs of our rural households, such an action may be necessary,” a Cabinet minister said. Other state govt officials said Karnataka may also lobby the Centre to relax norms on permissible works and increase its share of funding.