The Government of India implemented the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VBG RAM G) Act, 2025. The Act replaces the year-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Act aims to enhance the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guaranteeing wage employment.
What is the VB-G RAM G Act?
VB-G RAM G Act guarantees 125 days of wage employment to rural households whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. The act introduced to align rural India with India's vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. It emphasises water security, rural infrastructure, livelihood-related infrastructure and works related to mitigating extreme weather conditions and climate change events.
The new act introduces new features such as a revised Centre-State funding model, Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans, and a national rural infrastructure stack. The Act has a provision for pausing work during peak agricultural seasons.
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How many workdays are guaranteed under the New Act?
Under the VB-G RAM G Act 2025, eligible rural households will have a statutory entitlement to 125 days of guaranteed wage employment across the country. Under the MGNREGA, 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year.
What are the New Wage Rates under the VB-G RAM G Act?
The Act introduces the new wage rates from the previous year which were allocated under the MGNREGA. Under the act central government notifies that no daily wage anywhere in the country will be below 300 rupees by increasing the national average wage from 298.8 rupees per day to 327.4 rupees per day.
The wage payout will be given on a weekly basis to encourage faster financial liquidation.
State-wise Wage Rates under the VB-G RAM G Act
Under the new act, the average increase is over 10%. The states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh are to see an increase in the range of 15% to 25%.
|
S. No
|
State/UT
|
Daily wages
|
| 1. |
Andhra Pradesh
|
₹307
|
| 2. |
Arunachal Pradesh
|
₹300
|
| 3. |
Assam
|
₹300
|
| 4. |
Bihar
|
₹300
|
| 5. |
Goa
|
₹406
|
| 6. |
Gujarat
|
₹316
|
| 7. |
Himachal Pradesh
|
₹328
|
| 8. |
Haryana
|
₹409
|
| 9. |
Chhattisgarh
|
₹300
|
| 10. |
Jharkhand
|
₹300
|
| 11. |
Karnataka
|
₹ 349
|
| 12. |
Kerala
|
₹401
|
| 13. |
Ladakh
|
₹300
|
| 14. |
Maharashtra
|
₹ 312
|
| 15. |
Madhya Pradesh
|
₹300
|
| 16. |
Manipur
|
₹300
|
| 17. |
Meghalaya
|
₹300
|
| 18. |
Nagaland
|
₹300
|
| 19. |
Mizoram
|
₹300
|
| 20. |
Odisha
|
₹300
|
| 21. |
Punjab
|
₹336
|
| 22. |
Rajasthan
|
₹308
|
| 23. |
Sikkim
|
₹ 450
|
| 24. |
Tamil Nadu
|
₹336
|
| 25. |
Telangana
|
₹307
|
| 26. |
Tripura
|
₹300
|
| 27. |
Uttar Pradesh
|
₹300
|
| 28. |
Uttarakhand
|
₹ 300
|
| 29. |
West Bengal
|
₹300
|
| 30. |
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
|
₹300
|
| 31. |
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu
|
₹ 300
|
| 32. |
Puducherry
|
₹300
|
| 33. |
Lakshadweep
|
₹ 300
|
| 34. |
Jammu & Kashmir
|
₹ 300
|
Under the new act, the government introduced the fund-sharing mechanism between the centre and state. Every state government is required to prepare a scheme for giving effect to the guarantee proposed within 6 months of the commencement of the Act.
This scheme will operate as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) like 90:10 (centre & state) for North-Eastern and Himalayan States and UTs. 60:40 (centre & state) for all other states and UTs with legislature. 100% Centre funding for UTs without legislature
The act also has the provision to pause the work during the peak agricultural seasons. The state government will notify in advance (around 60 days) the financial sowing and harvesting season. The notification may vary from state to state, district to district, gram panchayats and agro-climatic zones depend on local cropping patterns.
The Act provides institutional support for all schemes through a unified planning under the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack.It is integrated with the PM Gati Shakti scheme to ensure optimisation and interdepartmental convergence.