Law and statutory body
Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (VB-G RAM G)
GS2 Welfare schemesGS3 Inclusive growthPrelims and Mains
- Why in news
- On 6 February 2026, the Minister of State for Rural Development told the Rajya Sabha the core objectives and key provisions of the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, including 125 days of work and a 60:40 funding split.
- What it is
- The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 is a Central law on rural wage employment. It gives eligible rural households a statutory entitlement to guaranteed wage employment and aims at durable rural assets and livelihoods. It takes the place of the earlier rural employment guarantee framework under which households had 100 days of work.
- Wage floor
- No notified daily wage anywhere in the country will be below ₹300.
- National average wage
- The national average notified wage rose from ₹298.8 to ₹327.4 per day, an increase of over 10 per cent.
- Interim allocation
- The Centre has released an interim allocation of ₹95,692.31 crore to States and UTs.
- Launch venue
- The National Launch Programme is on 2 July 2026 at Mukkavaripalle Village, Tirupati District, Andhra Pradesh.
- Ministry
- The Act is administered by the Ministry of Rural Development.
- Days of guaranteed work
- The statutory guarantee rises from 100 to 125 days for every eligible rural household.
- Commencement date
- The Act comes into force across rural India from July 1, 2026.
- Role of Gram Panchayats
- The Act places Gram Panchayats at the centre, stressing durable assets, water conservation, SHGs and convergence with other rural programmes.
- State readiness
- 29 States/UTs have made budget provisions and 24 States have notified the VB-G RAM G State Scheme.
- Job card transition
- Existing e-KYC verified job cards stay valid until new Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards are issued.
- Commencement
- The Act is to be rolled out nationwide from 1 July 2026, notified on 11 May 2026.
- Repeal of MGNREGA
- MGNREGA, 2005 stands repealed from the date the new Act commences.
- Guarantee
- Each rural household whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work is entitled to 125 days of wage employment every financial year.
- Unemployment allowance
- If work is not given within the prescribed time after demand, workers are entitled to unemployment allowance.
- Funding pattern
- Centrally Sponsored Scheme under Section 22. Sharing is 90:10 for North-Eastern States, Himalayan States and UTs (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, J&K), and 60:40 for all other States and UTs with legislature.
- State scheme
- Under Section 3(1), each State must notify a Scheme consistent with the Act within six months of its commencement.
- Normative allocation
- The Central Government decides State-wise normative allocation on objective parameters it prescribes (Section 22(4)).
- Type of scheme
- Section 22 makes the scheme a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
- Fund sharing
- The Centre-State ratio is 90:10 for North-Eastern and Himalayan States and the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, and 60:40 for all other States and UTs with legislature.
- State-wise allocation
- Under Section 22(4), the Centre decides each State's normative allocation on objective parameters it prescribes.
- Special relaxations
- In disasters or pandemics, States may recommend relaxations. The Centre can allow wider permissible works, relaxed documentation and temporarily more employment.
- Plan approval
- The Gram Panchayat prepares the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan and the Gram Sabha approves it (Schedule I, para 5(2)).
- 50% works through Gram Panchayats
- At least half of the total works, by cost, must be implemented through Gram Panchayats.
- Gati Shakti link
- Village plans are integrated with PM Gati Shakti, use geospatial systems, and are aggregated at Block, District, State and National levels.
- Guaranteed days
- At least 125 days of wage employment per rural household per financial year, up from 100 days.
- Women's participation
- At least one-third participation of women is mandatory, with special job cards for women-headed households and single women.
- Crèche
- A crèche is to be provided at worksites where five or more children under five accompany working women.
- Councils
- One-third women representation is mandatory in the Central and State Rojgar Guarantee Councils.
- Work themes
- Works are prioritised under four themes: water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood infrastructure and mitigation of extreme weather events.
- Nature of scheme
- The scheme under the Act is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
- Allocation
- The Centre fixes State-wise normative allocation on objective parameters, under Section 22(4).
- Planning
- Works are chosen through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans approved by the Gram Sabha and aggregated up to the national level, in four thematic domains.
- Four thematic domains
- Water security works, core rural infrastructure, livelihood infrastructure, and special works for extreme weather events and disaster preparedness.
- Allocation to States
- The Central Government determines State-wise normative allocation on objective parameters it prescribes (Section 22(4)).
- Planning link
- Works are planned through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans, integrated with PM Gati Shakti and aggregated at Block, District, State and National levels.
- Wage payment
- Wages must be paid within one week. If payment is delayed beyond 15 days, workers get 0.05 percent extra as interest on dues.
- Role of Gram Sabha
- The Gram Sabha takes the decision on which village-related works are to be undertaken.
- Women's share
- 33 percent of the work under the scheme is reserved for women.
- Farm work window
- State governments can notify deployment of workers for agricultural operations for a maximum of 60 days during sowing and harvesting.
- Administrative expenditure
- Administrative expenditure is raised from 6 percent to 9 percent to avoid delays in payments to employment assistants.
Don’t confuse with VB-G RAM G vs MGNREGA: MGNREGA, 2005 guaranteed 100 days of work per household. VB-G RAM G raises the entitlement to 125 days and adds a focus on durable assets and livelihoods.
Don’t confuse with VB-G RAM G Act vs earlier rural employment guarantee law: The new Act raises the guarantee from 100 to 125 days and replaces the earlier framework; the 100-day figure belongs to the old one.
Don’t confuse with Interim allocation vs final allocation: The ₹95,692.31 crore is an interim sum for a smooth start, not the full annual allocation.
Don’t confuse with VB–G RAM G vs MGNREGA: MGNREGA, 2005 gave 100 days and is repealed; VB–G RAM G gives 125 days from 1 July 2026.
Don’t confuse with Notification vs commencement: The notification was on 11 May 2026; the Act applies from 1 July 2026.
Don’t confuse with VB-G RAM G vs earlier 100-day framework: The new Act raises the guarantee to 125 days, makes the scheme Centrally Sponsored with normative allocation, and adds an off-season employment guarantee.
Don’t confuse with VB-G RAM G vs the earlier rural employment guarantee: The earlier framework gave 100 days of work. The 2025 Act guarantees 125 days.
Don’t confuse with VB-G RAM G vs MGNREGS: MGNREGS gave 100 days of work; VB-G RAM G gives 125 days and adds Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans linked to PM Gati Shakti.
Don’t confuse with Gram Panchayat vs Gram Sabha: The Gram Panchayat is the elected village body that prepares plans and executes works; the Gram Sabha of village voters approves plans and conducts social audits.
Don’t confuse with VB-G RAM G Act vs MGNREGA: The new Act gives 125 days of guaranteed work; the earlier framework gave 100 days.
Don’t confuse with VB-G RAM G Act vs earlier MGNREGA: The earlier framework guaranteed 100 days of work; VB-G RAM G guarantees 125 days and adds thematic works and a digital governance layer.
Don’t confuse with Centrally Sponsored vs Central Sector Scheme: Centrally Sponsored Schemes share cost with States; Central Sector Schemes are fully funded by the Centre.
Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.
Why it matters
- Raises the statutory work guarantee to 125 days and lifts wages, supporting rural income and livelihood security.
- Targets durable assets, natural resource conservation and women-led development.
- Raises the legal guarantee of wage work to 125 days, improving rural income security.
- Focus on durable assets, water conservation and convergence can build rural infrastructure and livelihoods.
- Gram Panchayat-centred planning supports decentralised, participatory governance.
- Raises the statutory guarantee from 100 to 125 days, strengthening livelihood security and rural incomes.
- Keeps the legal right to work, with unemployment allowance and delay compensation as enforcement tools.
- Makes Gram Panchayats central to rural development planning.
- Raises the statutory wage guarantee, improving income and livelihood security for rural households.
- Mandatory off-season work gives support when farm work is scarce.
- Large outlay supports rural asset creation and demand.
- Raises the statutory work guarantee to 125 days, adding to rural income security.
- Demand-driven design with State partnership supports cooperative federalism.
- Strengthens decentralised planning by making Panchayats at three tiers the principal authorities.
- Raises the guarantee to 125 days, adding to rural livelihood security.
- Geospatial, Gati Shakti-linked plans promote convergence and durable assets.
- Higher guaranteed days raise rural income security and consumption smoothing.
- Women-centric provisions promote gender-inclusive employment and support SHGs.
- Focus on durable and climate-resilient assets links wage work to livelihoods.
- Raises the statutory guarantee of rural work from 100 to 125 days, strengthening income security.
- Links works to water security, rural infrastructure and disaster resilience through local plans.
- Raises the statutory guarantee to 125 days, supporting rural income security.
- Ties wage work to durable assets, water security and climate resilience.
- Digital tools like biometrics, GPS monitoring and AI audits aim to cut leakages.
- Gives rural households a stronger legal work guarantee and a safety net through more days and an unemployment allowance.
- Gram Sabha control over works ties employment to local needs such as water conservation and disaster mitigation.
Problems
- States must share costs and keep up timely wage payment, which strains finances.
- Real delivery depends on demand-based work, administration capacity and transparent payments.
- States must share costs and prepare schemes, and uneven readiness could delay work and wage payments.
- Technology-based verification and new cards may exclude workers with poor connectivity or documents.
- Transition risk: rules on transition, allocation and grievance redressal are still being drafted.
- Fiscal burden on States, which share the cost, and dependence on Central normative allocation.
- Technology-linked requirements such as e-KYC and DBT can exclude workers.
- The 60:40 sharing and normative allocation may strain finances of poorer States.
- Centrally fixed allocation may limit a demand-driven entitlement.
- Timely wage payment, State scheme notification and capacity remain hurdles.
- States must pay 40% in most cases, which strains finances.
- Central fixing of normative allocations may limit the demand-driven character.
- Panchayats may lack technical staff and capacity for geospatial planning and record-keeping.
- Dependence on digital systems can exclude workers with poor connectivity.
- Funding and timely wage payment depend on Centre-State coordination.
- Timely wage payment and paying the unemployment allowance depend on state capacity and funds.
- Critics may argue that changes to the earlier framework could weaken its demand-driven nature.
- The 60:40 sharing may strain finances of poorer States.
- Biometric and digital monitoring may exclude workers with poor connectivity or authentication failures.
- Centre-set normative allocation may limit demand-driven work.
- States must bear 40% (or 10%) of costs, straining finances of poorer States.
- Centre-set normative allocation may limit demand-driven work and State autonomy.
- Biometric and digital dependence can exclude workers in areas with poor connectivity.
- Faster wage payment and interest on delays depend on states' capacity and fund flow.
- Allowing farm work for up to 60 days must not dilute the purpose of creating durable rural assets.
Way forward
- Release funds on time and pay wages without delay.
- Use the new software platform for transparency and social audit of works.
- Ensure timely wage payment and adequate funds to States, with regular social audits.
- Build Gram Panchayat capacity for planning and asset creation, with support for digital access.
- Publish the rules quickly after public consultation so the transition is smooth.
- Support States with timely funds and e-KYC facilitation, never denying work for pending e-KYC.
- Strengthen grievance redressal and social audit so wage payment and work demand are enforced.
- Keep allocation flexible enough to meet actual demand.
- Ensure timely payment of wages and the Centre's share.
- Build State capacity and social audit to ensure assets are durable.
- Use clear, objective allocation parameters and release funds on time.
- Focus spending on durable rural assets.
- Build Panchayat capacity with technical staff and training.
- Ensure regular Gram Sabha social audits with public disclosure of records.
- Keep offline options and grievance redressal for workers facing digital barriers.
- Ensure time-bound wage payment and effective social audits.
- Converge works with Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans and ensure strong grievance redressal.
- Ensure fallback to manual verification so no worker is excluded.
- Keep funds flowing on time and allocation responsive to actual demand.
- Strengthen Gram Sabha role and social audits in planning.
- Ensure timely fund release and wage payment, with fiscal support for weaker States.
- Keep non-digital fallback for authentication and strengthen social audits and Gram Sabha role.
- Issue clear instructions with states and strengthen monitoring and social audit so timely payment is enforced.
- Build Gram Panchayat capacity to plan village-specific works.
Put in your answer
Interim allocation: Cite the ₹95,692.31 crore interim release as the Centre's funding for rollout.
Guarantee raised: Statutory entitlement increased from 100 to 125 days per eligible rural household.
State readiness data: 29 States/UTs made budget provisions and 24 States notified the State Scheme before rollout.
Fiscal federalism angle: Section 22 makes it a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with 90:10 and 60:40 sharing, a case of cooperative federalism and cost burden on States.
Fund sharing: Centre-State ratio of 90:10 for NE and Himalayan States, 60:40 for others, shows differentiated cooperative federalism.
Section 16 role of Panchayats: Panchayats at all three levels are the principal authorities for planning, implementation and monitoring, a decentralisation point in answers on grassroots governance.
Social audit: Records must be placed before the Gram Sabha for social audits, supporting transparency and accountability.
Women's participation: Women's participation under MGNREGS has been above 50% in the last three financial years and in 2025-26.
Livelihood infrastructure: Assets such as SHG buildings, work sheds, nurseries, livestock shelters and rural haats strengthen women and SHGs.
Digital governance: Biometric authentication, GPS or mobile worksite monitoring, real-time dashboards and AI for audits and fraud risk.
Funding split: 60:40 for most States and 90:10 for NE and Himalayan States shows differentiated cooperative federalism.
Accountability: Delayed wages now attract 0.05 percent extra interest on dues after 15 days, so those responsible bear the cost of delays.
- 2025Mains GS4 · Q11Describe MGNREGA's legal wage employment guarantee and its objective for rural households.
- 2013Mains GS2 · Q12Critically evaluate restructuring of Centrally sponsored schemes for vulnerable sections
- 2020Mains GS2 · Q17Evaluate SHGs' role in asset creation and income security for rural poor.
- 2020Mains GS4 · Q9Tribal youth migration and inadequate welfare programmes in a poor district; suggest remedies.
- 2006Prelims Q73Whether 100-day employment is a fundamental right and women get half priority under NREGA.
- 2011Prelims Q41Who is eligible to benefit under MGNREGA employment guarantee?
- 2006Prelims Q22Whether NREGA requires paying state statutory minimum agricultural wages to workers.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Statements
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements:
- 1.Under the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, eligible rural households have a statutory entitlement to 125 days of guaranteed wage employment.
- 2.After the revised wage rates were notified under the Act, no notified daily wage in any State or Union Territory is below ₹300.
- 3.The National Launch Programme of the Act is to be held in Tirupati district of Telangana.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
True or false?
1 of 40
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The Act keeps the earlier entitlement of 100 days of employment per eligible rural household.
False. The entitlement is raised to 125 days from 100.
2.Following the notification of revised rates, no notified daily wage in any State or UT is below ₹300.
True. The wage floor is ₹300.
3.The Act is administered by the Ministry of Rural Development.
True. The Rural Development Ministry is the nodal ministry.
4.The National Launch Programme of the Act is to be held in Tirupati district of Telangana.
False. It is in Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh.
5.The Act comes into force across rural India from July 1, 2026.
True. Commencement is July 1, 2026.
6.The Act makes Block Panchayats the central unit of rural transformation in place of Gram Panchayats.
False. The Act places Gram Panchayats at the centre.
7.The Act is administered by the Ministry of Rural Development, whose Union Minister also holds the Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare portfolio.
True. Shivraj Singh Chouhan heads both Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare.
8.The interim allocation to States and UTs for the rollout is ₹95,692.31 crore.
True. The interim allocation is ₹95,692.31 crore.
9.The Act will come into force on 11 May 2026, the date of its notification.
False. It commences on 1 July 2026; 11 May 2026 is the notification date.
10.MGNREGA, 2005 stands repealed when the new Act comes into force.
True. MGNREGA is repealed from 1 July 2026.
11.If work is not provided within the prescribed time after demand, the worker has no remedy under the Act.
False. The worker is entitled to unemployment allowance.
12.Existing e-KYC verified MGNREGA job cards remain valid under the new Act until Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards are issued.
True. Old verified job cards stay valid until new cards are issued.
13.The ₹95,692.31 crore allocation for 2026–27 is the total programme outlay including State contributions.
False. It is the Central allocation; total outlay with States is estimated above ₹1.51 lakh crore.
14.The scheme under the Act is a Central Sector Scheme funded wholly by the Centre.
False. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with Centre-State fund sharing.
15.For Himalayan States such as Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, the Centre-State sharing ratio is 90:10.
True. 90:10 applies to North-Eastern, Himalayan States and the UTs of J&K.
16.For States other than North-Eastern and Himalayan States, the Centre bears 90 per cent of the cost.
False. The ratio is 60:40, so the Centre bears 60 per cent.
17.Each State must notify its own Scheme consistent with the Act within six months of commencement.
True. Section 3(1) sets a six-month limit for State Schemes.
18.State-wise normative allocation is fixed by each State Government on its own parameters.
False. The Central Government determines it on objective parameters it prescribes.
19.Under the Act, the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan is prepared by the Programme Officer and approved by the Block Panchayat.
False. The Gram Panchayat prepares it and the Gram Sabha approves it.
20.At least fifty percent of the total works, in cost terms, are to be implemented through Gram Panchayats.
True. Minimum 50% of works by cost through Gram Panchayats.
21.The intermediate-level Panchayat finalises the aggregate district-level plan under the Act.
False. The district-level Panchayat finalises and approves the aggregate district plan; the intermediate Panchayat prepares the aggregate Block plan.
22.The Gram Panchayat registers households and issues Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards under the Scheme.
True. Registration and card issue are Gram Panchayat functions.
23.Under the Act, muster rolls, bills and vouchers are placed before the Block Panchayat for social audit.
False. They are placed before the Gram Sabha for social audits and public scrutiny.
24.Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans are integrated with PM Gati Shakti and aggregated at Block, District, State and National levels.
True. Plans are integrated with PM Gati Shakti and aggregated upward to national level.
25.The VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 guarantees at least 125 days of wage employment per rural household per financial year.
True. The guarantee is at least 125 days, up from 100.
26.Under the Act, an unemployment allowance is payable if work is not provided within the stipulated time.
True. Allowance is payable on failure to provide work in time, at rates linked to the notified wage rate.
27.The Act makes at least half of the participation of women mandatory.
False. The mandatory minimum is one-third. Actual participation under MGNREGS has been above 50%.
28.Crèche facilities are required at worksites where five or more children under five years accompany working women.
True. The threshold is five or more children under five.
29.The Act requires one-third women representation in the Central and State Rojgar Guarantee Councils.
True. One-third women representation is mandatory in both councils.
30.The four priority themes of works under the Act include defence infrastructure.
False. The themes are water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood infrastructure and mitigation of extreme weather events.
31.For most States, the Centre and State share the cost in a 60:40 ratio.
True. 60:40 applies to all States and UTs with legislature other than the special category named.
32.The 90:10 sharing pattern applies to the North-Eastern and Himalayan States and the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
True. These get 90:10 Centre:State sharing.
33.State-wise normative allocation under the Act is decided by each State Government on its own parameters.
False. The Central Government determines it on objective parameters.
34.Works under the Act are identified through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans prepared and approved by the Gram Sabha.
True. Plans are participatory, approved by the Gram Sabha, and aggregated at higher levels.
35.The Act confines works to a single theme, rural roads.
False. Works fall in four domains: water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood infrastructure and extreme-weather works.
36.The scheme under the Act is a Central Sector Scheme funded wholly by the Union Government.
False. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with Centre-State fund sharing.
37.Under the Act, the Centre-State funding ratio is 60:40 for most States, and 90:10 for North-Eastern and Himalayan States.
True. 60:40 for other States; 90:10 for NE and Himalayan States.
38.Special works to mitigate extreme weather events and prepare for disasters are one of the thematic domains of works under the Act.
True. Fourth thematic domain covers extreme weather and disaster preparedness.
39.The Act provides for works to be identified through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans, which are integrated with PM Gati Shakti.
True. Plans are integrated with PM Gati Shakti and aggregated up to the national level.
40.The Act has five thematic domains of works, including a separate domain for urban infrastructure.
False. There are four domains, all rural: water, core rural infrastructure, livelihood infrastructure, extreme weather works.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Mains practice
15 marks · 250 words
The VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 came into force on 1 July 2026, raising the statutory entitlement to guaranteed rural wage employment from 100 to 125 days and notifying revised wage rates. Examine the main provisions of the Act and discuss the challenges in implementing it effectively.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.