On VB-G RAM G Bill
By removing the name of Mahatma Gandhi from the two-decade old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) Act and rechristening it with the name Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill (VB-G RAM G), the BJP government might be feeling jubilant. That the state governments will be forced to bear 40% of the cost of the new scheme, which is going to disturb the financial planning of the state governments and affect the allocations made for other welfare schemes in their budget, is also a case in point.
Tharcius S Fernando, Chennai
Right to work
The central government recently introduced a bill to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and replace it with the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, which has been passed by the Lok Sabha. The bill should have increased the daily wages to Rs 1,000 per day with guarantee of 365-day work. What people want is daily work and money. The bill replaces MGNREGA’s basic entitlement to ask for work. In fact, there is no element of the right to work even though the object and reasons of the bill are stated as “a bill to establish a rural development framework aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 by providing a statutory guarantee of 125 days’ wage employment in every financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to undertake unskilled manual work”. The 125 days of work are not sufficient for the nation to become Viksit Bharat.
Rajesh Banaulikar, Arpora
President’s K’taka visit
President Droupadi Murmu is on a tour of South India for a few days. In Karnataka, she attended some religious programme at Malavalli, near Mandya, which is proximate to Mysuru. She stayed at a private five-star hotel in Mysuru. One cannot understand why the President had to stay at a five-star hotel when there were public sector hotels as also government guesthouses, both of the Karnataka government and of the Wodeyar royal family, which should have been good enough for her short stay in Karnataka. She is not setting a good example of cost consciousness and emphasis on economy.
S Kamat, Mysuru
Safety of women
Police recently reportedly registered an offence after a 41-year-old woman from Valpoi in Sattari taluka lodged a complaint alleging abduction, wrongful confinement and sexual assault. Numerous rape cases have been reported in Goa involving both, local residents and tourists as victims, and arrests are frequently made by Goa police. These cases highlight an ongoing concern regarding the safety of women. However, Goa is generally considered safe and popular for women travellers, especially solo females, due to its tourist-friendly vibe and liberal culture. However, standard precautions are required like being aware of surroundings, avoiding isolated areas at night, dressing modestly at religious sites and being cautious with transport. Foreign women are often targets of unwanted attention, staring, verbal abuse, groping and other forms of sexual harassment. Nevertheless, it would be advisable for women to carry pepper spray cans for self-protection. Pepper spray is a chemical that is used to incapacitate or stop an attacker. It works by irritating the eyes and nose, which can cause difficulty in breathing and loss of consciousness. The effects are temporary but uncomfortable for the attacker, making it an effective deterrent against assailants. Using pepper spray in India is legally permissible to prevent harassment of women and outraging of their modesty. However, its misuse can lead to criminal charges. The main advantage of using pepper spray is that it is relatively easy to use and can be effective in a variety of situations. In the past, the Delhi police distributed pepper spray cans to college students. Pepper spray was allowed in Bengaluru and Delhi metros. However, it is not allowed on flights. In Goa, women need to be encouraged to carry pepper spray cans for self-defence by making them easily available.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Foggy condition
Cricket fans are aghast at the Lucknow T20 between India and South Africa being “fogged out”, a rare occurrence as compared to “washout” due to rains. The entire north India is reeling under dangerous fog conditions with vehicular and aerial traffic being severely affected. Air pollution in Delhi is “legendary”, and the BCCI would have done well to reschedule the game well in advance considering the proximity of Lucknow to the National Capital Region (NCR). Of course, almost all leading countries of the world are struggling to keep their air clean. Air quality index (AQI), which is nothing but an air pollutant concentration over an average period, was as high as 411 at Lucknow that led to the abandonment of the match. Players wearing masks and struggling to see one another, let alone the ground, is a pathetic commentary on India’s fight against pollution.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
