Karnataka's Rural Reset: Siddaramaiah Renames Gram Panchayats After Mahatma Gandhi Following MGNREGA Row

Last Updated:March 06, 2026, 16:51 IST

Siddaramaiah slammed the Centre's replacement of MGNREGA with the VB-G RAM G Act, removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the flagship rural employment scheme

Formalising a decision announced a month ago, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said nearly 6,000 Gram Panchayats across the state will be renamed to “immortalise the name of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi".

“It will now be named ‘Mahatma Gandhi Gram Panchayats’," Siddaramaiah announced.

The decision comes after the Centre introduced the Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, replacing the MGNREGA law and removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the flagship rural employment scheme.

The move to replace the scheme and change the name had faced significant criticism from opposition parties, who accused the BJP-led government of attempting to erase Gandhi’s name from the programme.

The central government clearly stated that the new scheme was a “major upgrade" designed to address structural weaknesses in the old system and, as Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan put it, was very much in accordance with the “spirit of Mahatma Gandhi".

The Congress government in Karnataka accused the BJP of attempting to erase Gandhi’s legacy from rural welfare programmes.

Siddaramaiah said the employment scheme introduced during the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government had transformed rural livelihoods.

“Under MGNREGA, each Gram Panchayat used to receive nearly Rs 1 crore annually, and the rural poor, especially women, were assured 100 days of employment. That guarantee is now being taken away," he said earlier.

He said the programme had benefited millions across the country. According to the Chief Minister, 53 per cent of the beneficiaries were women, 28 per cent belonged to SC/ST communities, and nearly five lakh were specially abled persons.

Taking a sharp swipe at the BJP, Siddaramaiah alleged that the move was ideologically driven.

“RSS worker Godse killed Mahatma Gandhi, and Modi has killed the pro-people scheme named after Mahatma Gandhi," he said while the Congress protests took place in January.

“Under MGNREGA, Panchayats had the power to provide jobs to the poor and needy. Now decisions will be taken in Delhi," Siddaramaiah alleged during the protests.

News politics Karnataka's Rural Reset: Siddaramaiah Renames Gram Panchayats After Mahatma Gandhi Following MGNREGA Row

Read More