Rules for the new rural employment regime will be issued soon

A committee headed by Congress president Saptagiri Ulaka met on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) to review the preparatory work for the implementation of the scheme. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Rules governing the new rural employment guarantee scheme, Viksit Bharat – Rozgar and Ajeevika (Gramin) Mission Guarantee, to come into force from July 1, will be released by the government in the coming days, Union Ministry of Rural Development officials told a parliamentary standing committee on Wednesday (May 20, 2026).

A committee headed by Congress president Saptagir Ulaka met on Wednesday to review the preparatory work for the implementation of the scheme.

The Center has to address several issues, including the formulation of a system of normative allocation of funds among states. Section 4(5) of the Act states: “The Central Government shall determine the normative allocation of the State for each financial year on the basis of such objective parameters as the Central Government may prescribe.”

The aim of the provision is to ensure a fairer distribution of resources.

The ministry informed the panel that 25 states have already allocated funds for the program and administrative and policy steps are being put in place. All major states have made the required budgetary arrangements for implementation from July 1, sources said.

Beneficiaries will be issued new smart job cards to replace the cards issued under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act of 2005. The new cards will include facial recognition to improve transparency and accountability, sources said. Existing job cards will remain temporarily valid for workers who have completed e‑KYC until new Gramin Rozgar guarantee cards are issued.

Published – 20 May 2026 21:50 IST