NEW DELHI: The Union Budget 2026 announced the launch of a new initiative in the name of Mahatma Gandhi days after it came under flak for its decision to change the name of MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act) to VB-G RAM G (Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) Bill).The Union Budget 2026 announced the launch of the Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj Initiative to strengthen khadi, handloom and handicrafts through global market linkage, branding, training, skilling and quality improvements.Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman also announced a dedicated initiative for sports goods manufacturing and innovation in equipment design and material sciences for high quality, affordable sports goods. These measures aim to boost rural industries, enhance global market linkage, and support youth and artisans, while the broader plan to revive 200 legacy industrial clusters underscores the scale of intended economic revitalisation.The Centre recently enacted the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025 replacing the Congress-era MGNREGA, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005. The move drew sharp criticism from the opposition parties which alleged that the BJP-led NDA government was allergic to the name of Mahatma Gandhi. The Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025 represented a comprehensive statutory overhaul of MGNREGA, aligning rural employment with the long-term vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, while strengthening accountability, infrastructure outcomes and income security.