India Replaces MGNREGA with VB-G RAM G
Analysis based on 23 articles · First reported Jan 30, 2026 · Last updated Feb 02, 2026
The replacement of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 with the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar Aajeevika Mission (Grameen) by the Indian government is a significant policy shift. While the government aims for 'self-reliant and developed villages', opposition parties and some states, like India===Himachal Pradesh, express concerns about increased centralization and financial burden, which could impact rural economies and state finances.
The Indian government has replaced the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 (MGNREGA) with the new Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar Aajeevika Mission (Grameen) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025. The new law, which received presidential assent in December, increases the statutory guarantee of employment from 100 to 125 days per rural household annually and introduces changes in funding patterns, planning mechanisms, and implementation structures. Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a significant allocation for the VB-G RAM G scheme, emphasizing its role in creating a developed India. However, the India===Indian National Congress, led by figures like Jairam Ramesh, has strongly criticized the move, arguing that it dilutes the rights-based nature of MGNREGA, increases centralisation of power, and places greater financial responsibilities on states. India===Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also protested, highlighting concerns about the new 90:10 funding pattern adversely affecting states.
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