Agartala, January 16, 2026: Tripura minister Tinku Roy on Friday accused the opposition of deliberately spreading misinformation regarding the renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). He claimed that daily protests across the state were misleading the public.

Speaking at a press conference, Roy explained that India had several rural employment and social security schemes long before MGNREGA was introduced. Initiatives such as Relief Work, Food for Work, and the National Rural Employment Programme (NREP) gradually evolved into the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in 2005. In 2009, Mahatma Gandhi’s name was added, giving rise to the widely known MGNREGA. Nearly two decades later, the scheme has been restructured and renamed as the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G Ram Ji Project).

Roy described the new law as a major reform compared to MGNREGA. Employment days have been increased from 100 to 125, while structural weaknesses of the old scheme have been addressed to strengthen transparency, planning, and accountability. He added that the project aims to boost rural economies by creating productive assets, increasing incomes, and enhancing resilience against natural and financial crises.

Highlighting expenditure figures, the minister said the UPA government had spent ₹2.13 lakh crore on MGNREGA, whereas the NDA government allocated nearly ₹7.8 lakh crore between 2015 and 2025. “These figures clearly show the NDA’s consistent commitment to rural development,” he asserted.

Criticizing the opposition, Roy said they were focusing only on the scheme’s name instead of discussing employment and wages. “This is an attempt to tarnish the image of developmental projects,” he remarked, urging citizens not to be misled by rumors. He reaffirmed that the government remains committed to safeguarding the interests of rural communities.