India’s government overhauls a vast workfare programme

India’s government overhauls a vast workfare programme

India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) loves a name change, a good acronym and flexing its Hindu credentials. Last December it combined all three to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin)—which translates from Hinglish as “Developed India–Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural)”. As an acronym it is VB-G RAM G, a reference to Ram, a revered Hindu god.

This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Gutting workfare or improving it? ”

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