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Parliament Winter Session Day 12 Highlights: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday opposed the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha. The bill seeks to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which has been in place for over 20 years.
She said MGNREGA gives the poorest people a legal right to 100 days of work and that the new bill would weaken this right. She questioned whether wages would be increased, saying the changes only make it appear that more workdays have been added.
Meanwhile, Opposition leaders protested inside Parliament against the government’s plan to change the name of the MGNREGA Act. They said the move weakens the spirit and rights-based nature of the rural employment scheme.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day following the passage of the Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2025, shortly after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled it in the Lower House. The House will reconvene at 11 am on December 17.
The Congress party has issued a whip to its MPs, directing them to remain present in the Lok Sabha for the next three days as key bills are set to be debated and passed. Among the major bills is the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, which seeks to allow private participation in India's civil nuclear power sector and amend the existing liability framework. Introduced by Minister of State in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, the bill proposes repealing the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010. It could be discussed as early as Wednesday.
Another significant piece of legislation, the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, aims to guarantee 125 days of rural employment annually, replacing the long-standing MNREGA scheme. Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan defended the bill, emphasizing the Modi government’s commitment to Mahatma Gandhi’s principles and its record on rural development. However, opposition MPs, including Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, raised objections, particularly over the removal of Gandhi’s name from the bill, and called for it to be scrutinized by a parliamentary committee.
Parliament Winter Session 2025: Congress MP Tariq Anwar - "Today, the entire Congress party protested against it. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra initiated the protest and expressed her anguish. We, too, can express our sorrow over this
VIDEO | Parliament Winter Session 2025: Congress MP Tariq Anwar (@itariqanwar), on MGNREGA name change, said, "Today, the entire Congress party protested against it. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra initiated the protest and expressed her anguish. We, too, can express our… pic.twitter.com/fseciZrmh7
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 16, 2025
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 11 a.m. on December 17, 2025
Rajya Sabha approves and returns the Appropriation (No. 4 Bill) 2025
Raghav Chadha raised the debate that demands for supplementary demands is an annual formality, as this is a money bill and approval is not required for a money bill. He further made the suggestion
“Investment in India is highly taxed. The global capital in the past few years has been volatile, because of which, from January 2025 to December 2025, ₹1.60 crore, Foreign Investors had withdrawn from Indian equity. Then, domestic institutional investors came forward to protect and invest ₹7 lakh crore in Indian equity. A basic principle of the economy is to encourage investments. The tax-free limit should be increased.
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy m, BJP MP hits back at congress and claims that the penetration of health and insurance was as low as 1%. He further added that ,
“Why does Congress forget to mention P.V. Narasimha Rao? Who actually privatized and paved the way that eventually led to an increase in penetration of insurance for the indian masses”
He further hails the various schemes launched under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
The Lok Sabha proceedings have been adjourned, bringing the current session’s discussions to a temporary halt.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the government will continue its work in Parliament and approve important bills, including the G RAM G Bill, even though opposition members are protesting and creating disruptions. He said that the government must keep doing business for the good of the country, even if some members of the Opposition choose to walk out of the House. Rijiju also said that objections in Parliament should be raised only on real legal or constitutional issues, and he stressed that Parliament should be allowed to work smoothly without unnecessary interruptions.
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan introduced a motion in the Lok Sabha to bring in the VB-G RAM G Bill. The proposed law aims to change the current system for providing employment in rural areas.
Opposition members in the Lok Sabha opposed the VB–G RAM G Bill, 2025. The bill aims to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
They questioned the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the scheme. They also demanded that the proposed law be sent to a parliamentary committee for detailed review.
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