West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
| Photo Credit: ANI

The West Bengal Government had issued a notification renaming its ‘Karmashree’ scheme to ‘Mahatma-Shree’ in response to the Union Government’s move to replace the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employee Act) with Viksit Bharat-Guarantee For Rozgar And Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on December 18, 2025, criticised the Union Government’s move to replace the MGNREGA and said that her government would rename the State’s rural job guarantee scheme after the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi.

Speaking at a business conclave in Kolkata’s Dhana Dhanya auditorium, the Chief Minister had said, “I feel ashamed that they have decided to remove Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the MGNREGA programme, because I too belong to this country. Are we now forgetting even the Father of the Nation?”

Karmashree was announced in the State’s 2024-25 Budget, aiming to guarantee 50 days of wage employment annually for rural unskilled workers with MGNREGA Job Cards. The agricultural unions of West Bengal, however, claimed that they see no implementation of the scheme on the ground.

Funds to the MGNREGA scheme have been suspended since April 2022 on account of corruption in the implementation of the scheme by the West Bengal Government. Earlier this year, the Calcutta High Court and later the Supreme Court directed the Union Government and the West Bengal Government to resume the 100-day work scheme in the State. However, despite the orders, workers are waiting for the resumption of the scheme.

Published – December 20, 2025 10:15 pm IST