The Centre on Monday notified the commencement of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB–G RAM G) Act, 2025 across all rural areas of the country with effect from July 1.
The guidelines for the new job guarantee scheme have finally paved the way for the implementation of the central scheme guaranteeing 125 days of work for unskilled rural workers by replacing the existing MGNREGA countrywide.
Under the new framework, every rural household whose adult members volunteer to undertake unskilled manual work shall be entitled to a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment in every financial year. The enhanced guarantee is intended to strengthen livelihood security, improve rural incomes and support sustainable village-level development.
Employment shall be provided to workers against their demand for work within the prescribed timeframe, failing which workers shall remain entitled to unemployment allowance in accordance with the provisions of the Act, the Ministry of Rural Development said in a statement.
Calling the development a “new dawn in the lives of workers", Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Chouhan said the government has allocated over Rs 95,000 crore in its Budget to generate employment through this scheme. He added that the states have also made provisions in their respective Budgets for its implementation, and the combined allocation from both the Centre and the states will exceed Rs 1,51,000 crore.
The Act places strong emphasis on timely and transparent wage payments. Wages shall continue to be transferred directly into workers’ bank or post office accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
“Wages are to be paid on a weekly basis or within 15 days from the closure of the muster roll, failing which workers shall be entitled to delay compensation in accordance with the provisions of the Act,” the gazette notification said.
The ministry also stated that in order to ensure seamless, smooth and worker-centric transition, employment under MGNREGA shall continue uninterrupted till the date of commencement of the new Act.
“Ongoing works under MGNREGA as on June 30 shall be saved and carried over in the new framework seamlessly by ensuring consistency with the provisions of Viksit Bharat G RAM G. Timely availability of work and prompt payment of wages to rural workers remain the priority of the government,” it said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the only guarantee that VB-G RAM G offers is that of extreme centralisation and weakening of the bargaining power of rural labour. The constitutional right to work and the right to wages of rural Indian families is being stolen, he said.
