The Lok Sabha in New Delhi has passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025.
This landmark legislation, which is set to supersede the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act of 2005, was approved during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament that commenced on December 1, and is scheduled to conclude on December 19. The proceedings were marked by intense demonstrations from Opposition Members of Parliament demanding that the Bill be referred to a standing committee for further scrutiny. Following the Speaker’s ruling that the matter had been debated at length, several members staged protests in the Well of the House and tore official documents. The Bill will now progress to the Rajya Sabha for further consideration.
The proposed VB-G RAM G framework introduces several substantial modifications to the existing rural employment system to enhance the welfare of workers. A primary change involves increasing the guaranteed employment period from 100 days to 125 days per financial year for every rural household. Additionally, the Bill alters the payment structure by mandating weekly wages rather than the current 15-day waiting period.
Under the new legislation, both the Central Government and State Governments will contribute towards wage payments. Whilst the Centre will provide allocations based on specific parameters, any expenditure exceeding these normative amounts will be the financial responsibility of the respective state governments. Every state government must establish a scheme to implement these guarantees within six months of the Act’s commencement.
A significant aspect of the new Bill is the provision for a temporary pause in guaranteed employment during peak agricultural seasons. This measure is designed to facilitate the availability of farm labour for sowing and harvesting by allowing states to notify periods in advance during which public works will be suspended. Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan explained that while MGNREGA has provided livelihood security for the past 20 years, a new approach is required to align with the national vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047. The legislation emphasises empowerment and growth through the creation of a national rural infrastructure stack, focusing on water security, core infrastructure, and measures to mitigate extreme weather events.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), enacted in 2005, is a landmark social security measure that legally guarantees 100 days of paid, unskilled manual work per financial year to every rural household in India. As a demand-driven scheme, it requires the government to provide employment within 15 days of an application or pay an unemployment allowance, focusing on creating durable community assets like irrigation systems and rural roads. By mandating that at least one-third of participants are women, the act has served as a critical safety net for rural livelihoods for two decades before its scheduled replacement by the VB-G RAM G Bill in late 2025.
To modernise governance and accountability, the VB-G RAM G Bill incorporates a comprehensive digital ecosystem. This includes the use of biometric authentication, global positioning systems for worksite monitoring, real-time management dashboards, and artificial intelligence for planning and fraud risk mitigation. It also seeks to integrate village plans with the PM Gati Shakti programme to address varying local needs effectively.
Despite the government’s efforts to promote the Bill as a victory for rural development, Opposition figures such as Priyanka Gandhi have criticised the move to scrap the MGNREGA name as a waste of time and public money. The legislation now awaits further debate in the upper house as the parliamentary session nears its conclusion.