VB-G RAM G Bill Secures Prez Assent, Offers 125 Days Rural Jobs
The VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025, was passed by Parliament, amid opposition protests
Hyderabad: President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday granted assent to the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005.
The Act, passed by Parliament last week, increases the statutory wage employment guarantee from 100 to 125 days per financial year for rural households, anchors rural development in empowerment, inclusive growth, convergence of initiatives, and saturation-based delivery, fostering a prosperous and resilient rural Bharat.
The new framework empowers gram sabhas and panchayats to lead planning through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans (VGPPs), approved via participatory processes. These bottom-up plans integrate digitally with national platforms like PM Gati Shakti, ensuring decentralised decision-making while enabling whole-of-government convergence to avoid duplication and accelerate infrastructure saturation.
Key provisions emphasise productive outcomes. Wage employment links directly to durable assets in four priority domains: water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-related works, and climate-resilient measures against extreme weather. States can notify a 60-day aggregated pause during peak sowing and harvesting to balance agricultural labour needs, without diluting the 125-day guarantee.
Timely payments form a cornerstone — wages must disburse weekly or within 15 days of work completion, with compensation for delays. Unemployment allowance kicks in after 15 days if work isn't provided, reinforcing worker rights. Technology enhances transparency via biometric authentication, geo-tagging, and real-time dashboards, complemented by Gram Sabha-led social audits.
Financially, the Centrally Sponsored Scheme follows a 60:40 Centre-State cost-sharing (90:10 for North Eastern/Himalayan states, 100 per cent for certain UTs), with normative allocations based on objective parameters for predictability. Administrative expenses rise to 9 per cent from 6 per cent, bolstering staffing and capacity.
The government hailed the Act as a decisive reform, transforming rural employment from welfare to a strategic tool for sustainable livelihoods and national development. It preserves the right to demand work, vesting planning and execution in Panchayats.
INFO FOR GRAPHICS
1. Enhanced Employment Guarantee: Statutory 125 days of wage employment per rural household annually for unskilled manual work.
2. Planning Decentralisation: Gram Sabha approves Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans (VGPPs); bottom-up process integrated with PM Gati Shakti for national convergence.
3. Asset Creation Focus: Work linked to durable assets in four domains — water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood infrastructure, climate-resilient measures.
4. Agricultural Balance: States can notify up to 60-day aggregated pause during peak sowing/harvesting seasons.
5. Timely Payments: Wages weekly or within 15 days; mandatory delay compensation (Section 5(3)).
6. Unemployment Allowance: Payable after 15 days if work is not provided; no dis-entitlement clauses.
7. Funding Model: Centrally Sponsored Scheme — 60:40 Centre-States (90:10 for NE/Himalayan states; 100% for select UTs); normative allocations.
8. Administrative Boost: Expenses ceiling raised to nine per cent for staffing, training, and capacity building.
9. Technology & Transparency: Biometric authentication, geo-tagging, real-time dashboards; Gram Sabha social audits.
