Govt tables three crucial bills in Lok Sabha, holds back MGNREGA overhaul amid Oppn protest

New Delhi: The Modi government on Monday tabled three crucial Bills in Lok Sabha aiming to open the nuclear power sector to private players, regulate higher education and repealing some redundant laws even as it held back one that seeks to massively tweak the MGNREGA and rename it despite putting it on the day’s agenda.

The three Bills were met with stiff opposition from I.N.D.I.A MPs at the introduction level itself, as they questioned the motive behind bringing the legislation that undermines the federal system, for providing the union government with excessive powers and on the grounds that two of them were named in Hindi against the Constitutional provisions.

The first Bill to be introduced was the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2025 followed by The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhisthan Bill, 2025 and The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, 2025 or the SHANTI Bill.

The ‘Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevka Mission (Gramin): VB G RAM Bill 2025’, which will rename the MGNREGA and tweak it, was scheduled for introduction but was not taken up. While no reason was given, the Opposition criticised the omission of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the scheme and putting financial burden on states for implementing the scheme.

While Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced in the House that The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhisthan Bill, 2025 will be sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for further scrutiny, sources said the government has agreed in the Business Advisory Committee to send the SHANTI Bill and the VB G RAM Bill 2025 Bill to respective Standing Committees.

Tabling the SHANTI Bill that seeks to repeal the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, Minister of State Jitendra Singh said it provides for a pragmatic civil liability regime for nuclear damage and to confer statutory status to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. It also seeks to open the civil nuclear power sector for private participation.

However, the Opposition MPs were not impressed and opposed its introduction with senior Congress MP Manish Tewari saying that it gives sweeping and pervasive powers to the Centre and allows profit oriented private sector access to ultra hazardous nuclear activities while limiting liability, granting statutory immunity and restricting judicial remedies.

Tewari also said he objects to the Bill as it provides provisions for taking over mines and nuclear plants through executive orders. RSP’s NK Premachandran said the Bill is against the Directive Principles of State Policy, as the “entire purpose” of the Bill is to bring in private corporations into the nuclear sector.

The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhisthan Bill, 2025 introduced by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also saw objections from the Opposition.

Tewari said the Bill provides for excessive centralisation at the union government’s level and impacts autonomy and regulators while Premachandran alleged that it was indirectly imposing central control on education at state level. DMK’s G Selvam and Congress’ S Jothimani objected to the naming of the Bill in Hindi.

The Repealing and Amending Bill moved by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal also faced opposition with Premachandran finding fault with the government for not giving adequate time for members to examine it. Sources said the BAC has allocated three hours for discussion of this Bill.

At the meeting of the BAC, sources said four hours have been allocated for The Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, which seeks to increase FDI in the sector from 74% to 100%. It has also allocated four hours for debating The Security Markets Code Bill, 2025.