President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday agreed to the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, the Ministry of Rural Development said, according to PTI. The Act replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) of 2005 with a new legal framework designed to enhance livelihood security and align with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
It was approved on Friday at the winter session of parliament.
VB-G RAM G Bill: What are the key changes?
The new law provides 125 days of employment per rural household, up from the current 100 days, for adult members willing to do unskilled manual work, according to ANI. According to Section 22 of the Act, the cost sharing between the Central Government and the State Governments will be 60:40.
For North Eastern, Himalayan States and Union Territories comprising Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, the ratio will be 90:10. Section 6 of the Act allows state governments to pre-determine a period of up to 60 days in a financial year that coincides with peak agricultural activities such as sowing and harvesting.
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Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the bill would contribute significantly to the welfare of the poor and accused the Congress of disregarding the principles of Mahatma Gandhi. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the BJP government and warned that a time would come when the legislation would be repealed.
“Man, the minister who shows compassion for the poor is now ending MNREGA. There is some compulsion there which you are not telling others… There will be a time in the next few days when you will take back this bill as well as the three farm bills,” he mentioned.
Kharge added, “Do you want an agitation where people block roads, protest, get bullet injuries and die? Only then will you take back the law? People will come to the streets, face bullets but will never support this law. We will continue to fight… ‘Gareeb logon ko jo ye sapna dikha rahe hain, wo kabhi poora nahi hoga’.”
Technology, by law, is meant to support implementation rather than act as a barrier. Sections 23 and 24 introduce technology-based transparency measures such as biometric authentication, geo-tagging and real-time dashboards, while Section 20 strengthens social audits by Gram Sabhas, ensuring community oversight, transparency and inclusion.
The law also removes the previous no-claims provision and restores unemployment benefits as a meaningful statutory insurance, the report said, adding that if employment is not provided within the specified period, unemployment benefits are payable after fifteen days.
(With input from agencies)
Key things
- The Act replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) of 2005 with a new legal framework designed to enhance livelihood security.
- It was approved on Friday at the winter session of parliament.
