Union Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, introduced the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The Bill seeks to replace the existing rural employment law, MGNREGA, and immediately sparked objections from the opposition over the “removal” of Mahatma Gandhi’s name.
The VB-G RAM G Bill guarantees 125 days of wage employment to rural households whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work. Moreover, it emphasises empowerment, growth, convergence, and saturation to align with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
Under the Bill, Gram Panchayats will prepare “Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans” on a saturation basis, converging schemes with PM Gati Shakti. Consequently, all works will be aggregated into the “Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack,” creating a unified framework for rural public works.
Additionally, the Bill prioritises water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-related projects, and measures to mitigate extreme weather events. States can also notify up to 60 days annually when work will pause to ensure farm labour availability during peak sowing and harvesting seasons.
Transparency and accountability form a central part of the legislation. Weekly disclosure meetings at Gram Panchayat Bhavans, real-time dashboards, AI-enabled analytics, biometric authentication, and strengthened social audits will ensure integrity in implementation.
Furthermore, the Bill mandates an unemployment allowance if work is not provided within 15 days. Until new wage rates are notified, existing MGNREGA rates will continue to apply. It will operate as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, with a 90:10 fund-sharing pattern for North-Eastern and Himalayan states and 60:40 for others.
This landmark legislation aims to establish a convergence-driven, saturation-oriented rural development architecture. Consequently, it represents a recalibrated approach to meet evolving aspirations, reduce disparities, and empower rural households through enhanced livelihood guarantees.
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