Secretaries of the Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Panchayati Raj have jointly signed a letter to all chief secretaries of states and union territories asking them to hold a special gram sabha meeting by December 26. Photo File | Photo credit: The Hindu
The Union government has written to the chief secretaries of all states and union territories asking them to organize a special gram sabha meeting to “create widespread awareness about key provisions and statutory rights” under the newly enacted Viksit Bharat-Garantee for Rozgaar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025.
Hailed by the Union government as a “historic” law “in line with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047”, the new job guarantee scheme was introduced and passed in Parliament during this winter session, replacing the 20-year-old MGNREGA amid protests and objections from various opposition parties, scholars and activists.
On December 21, the Secretaries of the Department of Rural Development and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj jointly signed a letter to all Chief Secretaries of States and Union Territories asking them to hold a special gram sabha meeting by December 26, document the proceedings and upload them in real-time with time-stamped and geo-tagged photos and videos to the Panchayat Nirnay app.
The government further said that the Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj would “closely monitor the progress” of the effort, adding that it would ensure “effective dissemination of information and smooth transition to the new legal framework”.
A letter from the center argued that the VB-G RAM G Act “is aimed at further enhancing rural employment, livelihood diversification and socio-economic empowerment through a rights-based framework underpinned by guaranteed access to paid employment and sustainable livelihood opportunities”. The Center further urged states and Union Territories to ensure “active participation” of villagers, labourers, women, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe households and vulnerable groups.
The bill was introduced and passed in Parliament this month and was approved by President Droupadi Murmu last week.
The Union government argued for the VB-G RAM G Bill in Parliament citing shortcomings in the MGNREGA system, including corruption and alleged misuse of funds by state governments. Under this new law, allocations are set to be capped within a fixed budget decided by the Union government. The “parameters” that will be decided have not yet been specified. It further stipulates that employment will be provided only in rural areas notified by the centre.
It increases the number of guaranteed working days from 100 to 125, but also changed the mode of funding and increased the financial burden on states to 40% from 10% under the earlier MGNREGA system.
On Tuesday (December 23, 2025), the left-wing All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU) issued a statement asking all its units and activists to actively participate in special gram sabhas convened across the country and “openly reject” the new law, adding that AIAWU also intends to submit formal resolutions outlining their position on the restoration of the M-GREGGRAM Act to the UK Act. panchayat presidents and sarpanches across India.
Last week, after the new law was passed, Congress Parliamentary Party President Sonia Gandhi released a video statement accusing the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to weaken the MGNREGA scheme over the past 11 years and vowing to fight against this new “black law”, which she claimed was brought to “bulldoze” the job guarantee scheme, exploiting especially the poor and extremely poor people.
Published – 23 Dec 2025 21:11 IST
