The bill presented to replace the MGNREGA Act has been granted the President’s assent. The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Grameen) (VG G RAM G)bill, 2025, is aimed at strengthening the inclusive Rural Employment landscape by increasing employment for the Rural citizens.
The act will replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, 2005, to align with the aim of Viksit Bharat 2047. Among its important changes is the increase in the number of days guaranteed under the scheme, from 100 to 125 days every financial year. The act differs from its predecessor as it anchors itself into the integration of Rural employment and asset development, rather than seeing Rural employment as a standalone Scheme itself.
The law aims to create durable and productive assets and create employment opportunities through the same. Its core projects include water conservation projects, livelihood-related assets, core Rural infrastructure, and work related to reducing the impacts and burden of extreme events. The government has mandated the States to put a mandatory pause of 60 days during peak agriculture season, without affecting the overall 125 days.
The new act adds another layer of security for the wages earned by mandating wage payment within 15 days, with compensation for delays. Planning has been further decentralised, as the Gram Sabha remains the main agency for planning under the Viksit Gram Sabha plans, which are integrated through a digital platform to avoid duplication. The act will also be support-driven and focus on asset creation, not just employment generation, which will ensure more development-oriented work.
The changes have been made to make the Programme more relevant to the changing demographics and technological advancements. The urban migration in many parts of the country is another reason for tweaking the scheme, which remains one of the highlights of the winter session.
