Suvendu flexes double-engine muscle, rolls out VB-G Ram G in Bengal

A month after the BJP-led government was sworn in in West Bengal, the Centre has allocated Rs 8,500 crore for the state under the VB-G RAM G scheme, which was fought tooth and nail by the previous Mamata Banerjee government.

The TMC government had repeatedly fought with the Centre over the suspension of funds under MGNREGA, which was replaced by the VB-G RAM G scheme last year. When the BJP won the election, the party leaders said the state would 'enjoy' the benefits of a 'double-engine sarkar' for the first time in decades.

Watch: VB-G RAM G Bill repeals job guarantee, warns economist Jean Dreze

'Double-engine power'

Announcing while launching the state-wide ‘Jan-Kalyan Shivir’ programme from Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district on Monday, West Bengal’s Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the scheme will ensure 125 days of employment for rural families.

Adhikari said 1,100 'Jan Kalyan Shivir' camps that are being organised from June 15 to June 17 will help people access 54 central and state government schemes.

“This is the first such outreach programme of the BJP government in West Bengal. People can visit the camps between 10 am and 5 pm to learn about various welfare schemes and submit applications for enrolment," he said.

Also read: Why VB-G RAM G raises fears over future of rural jobs in Andhra Pradesh

The chief minister said welfare schemes should not reach illegal immigrants and questioned extending benefits to families that do not send their children to recognised schools, or to institutions where 'Vande Mataram' is not sung.

TMC-Centre feud over MGNREGA

In December 2025, the Centre introduced the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005. The move drew sharp criticism from the Opposition, including the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress.

The new scheme, which seeks to provide employment in rural areas, has raised the number of days of work from the earlier 100 (in MGNREGA) to 125.

Also read: Mamata hits Centre on G RAM G Bill, to rename Bengal job scheme after Mahatma

Slamming the Centre’s decision to remove Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the scheme, the former West Bengal chief minister had also announced plans to rename the state’s rural job guarantee programme after Bapu.

The TMC government had also been alleging non-disbursal of MGNREGA funds to the state in a Centre-state fight that also played out in Parliament.

The TMC government had accused the BJP-led Centre of withholding more than Rs 17,500 crore under MGNREGA and claimed the state had paid beneficiaries from its own funds.

BJP cites corruption

In 2024, when TMC MP Derek O’Brien raised the issue in Parliament, the BJP had said that the funds had been halted due to alleged financial mismanagement by the Mamata Banerjee-led government.

The BJP-led Central government, which suspended the disbursal of MGNREGA funds to Bengal on March 9, 2022 maintains that the same is not politically motivated but was done in response to alleged financial irregularities found during audits by the Centre.

According to the party, audits conducted between 2019 and 2021 unearthed evidence of misappropriation of funds up to Rs 537.05 lakh by the TMC government.

Watch: MGNREGA vs VB-G RAM G: What changes for states and workers | Interview

Want genuine beneficiaries: Adhikari

Repeating the allegation, Adhikari said there were irregularities in the beneficiary databases under the previous regime, and that the government wants to identify genuine recipients of welfare schemes.

"We want benefits to reach genuine beneficiaries and not to fake account holders," he said.

Long queues of applicants were seen at several locations on the opening day. The camps will cover 54 schemes, including Annapurna Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, and several other welfare programmes.

Adhikari said the sizeable allocation for West Bengal under VB-G RAM G would boost rural livelihoods and accelerate development work across the state.