VB-G RAM G Act (2025) andCore Provisions of the Act

 The Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G Act (2025), is a landmark legislation enacted in December 2025 to replace the 20-year-old MGNREGA.

Core Provisions of the Act

• Increased Work Guarantee: Mandates a minimum of 125 days of guaranteed wage employment per financial year for every rural household, up from the previous 100-day limit.
• Funding Model Shift: Transitions from a Central Sector Scheme to a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, featuring a 60:40 cost-sharing ratio between the Centre and States (90:10 for North-Eastern and Himalayan states).
• Agricultural Alignment: States now have the authority to implement a 60-day "pause" on public works during peak sowing or harvesting seasons to prevent rural labor shortages in the farming sector.
• Technological Governance: Utilizes the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack for real-time digital monitoring, asset geotagging, and ensuring transparency in fund utilization.
• Skill Integration: Beyond manual labor, the Act emphasizes Ajeevika (Livelihood) by integrating skill development programs to help rural workers transition into semi-skilled roles.
• Wage Payment Timeline: Strict mandate for daily wages to be credited via Aadhaar-enabled payment systems within 7 to 15 days of work completion.
• Decentralized Planning: Projects are identified through the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans, ensuring that local infrastructure needs (like water conservation and solar lighting) are prioritized.

Key Comparison: MGNREGA vs. VB-G RAM G

• Guarantee: 100 days (Old) vs. 125 days (New).
• Planning: Labor-budget based (Old) vs. Infrastructure-stack based (New).
• Objective: Poverty alleviation (Old) vs. Economic transformation toward 2047 (New)