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- Full Name: Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin).
- Context: Replaces the MGNREGA Act, 2005.
- Key Provisions:
- Increases guaranteed employment from 100 to 125 days per year.
- Mandates a 15-day window for work provision, failing which an unemployment allowance must be paid.
- Introduces a 60:40 (Centre-State) funding model for most states.
The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, commonly known as the VB-G RAM G Act, is a transformative legislation that replaces the MGNREGA (2005). It shifts the focus from simple relief-based employment to a mission-mode delivery of rural infrastructure and climate resilience.
Core Statutory Changes
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- Enhanced Guarantee:The Act increases the statutory guarantee of wage employment from 100 days to 125 days per rural household per financial year.
- Replacement of MGNREGA: It completely overhauls the 2005 Act to align rural employment with the Viksit Bharat 2047
- The “Pause” Provision:A first-of-its-kind feature allowing States to notify an aggregated “pause window” of up to 60 days during peak sowing and harvesting seasons. This ensures farm labour availability and prevents wage inflation in agriculture.
Funding & Fiscal Architecture
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- Shift to Normative Funding:Unlike MGNREGA’s “demand-driven” open-ended funding, this Act uses “Normative Allocation.” The Centre sets a ceiling based on objective parameters; any expenditure beyond this limit must be borne by the State.
- New Cost-Sharing Ratio:
- General Category States:60:40 (Centre : State).
- NE and Himalayan States:90:10.
- UTs without Legislatures:100% Central funding.
- Administrative Cap:Increased from 6% to 9% to improve technical staffing and field-level supervision.
The 4 Priority Verticals (Infrastructure Stack)
All works must be aggregated into the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack, focusing on four specific domains:
1. Water Security:Conservation, groundwater recharge, and irrigation.
2. Core Rural Infrastructure:Roads, connectivity, and sanitation.
3. Livelihood Infrastructure:Cold storage, markets, and production assets.
4. Climate Mitigation:Works to handle extreme weather and disaster resilience.
Digital Governance & Transparency
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- AI & Biometrics: Mandates biometric authentication for attendance and uses Artificial Intelligence for early fraud detection.
- Gati Shakti Integration:Planning originates from Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans (VGPP), which are spatially integrated with the PM Gati Shakti
- Real-time Monitoring:Use of GPS-tagged assets and mobile-based tracking for all public works.
| Feature | MGNREGA (2005) | VB-G RAM G (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Days Guaranteed | 100 days | 125 days |
| Funding Model | Demand-driven | Normative/Capped |
| Wage Liability | 100% Central (Unskilled) | 60:40 Shared |
| Agricultural Pause | No statutory provision | Up to 60 days |
| Planning Basis | Annual Labour Budget | Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan |
Worker Protections
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- Unemployment Allowance:If work is not provided within 15 days of demand, a daily allowance becomes payable. The liability for this allowance rests with the State Governments.
- Wage Payment:Must be made weekly or, at the latest, within 14 days of work completion.
- Social Audits:Mandated at least once every six months by the Gram Sabha to ensure community-led accountability.
Pay attention to the shift from a “Right to Work” focus to a “Productive Asset Creation” focus. The Act is often described as moving from a “Safety Net” to a “Springboard” for the rural economy.
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