VB-G RAM G Bill vs MGNREGA: The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, often known as the VB-G RAM G bill, was approved by the Lok Sabha on Thursday despite fierce opposition. The MGNREGA of the UPA era is replaced with the VB-G RAM G law, which provides rural residents with 125 days of pay employment.
The Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 (VB-G RAM G Bill) was presented to the Lok Sabha by the Indian government. This bill aims to replace and repeal the historic MGNREGA Act of 2005, which will fundamentally alter India’s rural job market.
According to the administration, the most recent measure will not only expedite rural development but also offer accountability and transparency systems with improved administrative and security aspects. The Opposition, however, has asserted that the new initiative is not only an attempt to remove Mahatma Gandhi’s name but also a way to make the employment scheme less successful by increasing the burden on state governments.
What Is VB-G RAM G Bill?
In contrast to MGNREGA’s 100 days, the Center claims that the VB-G RAM G Bill will increase the statutory wage employment guarantee for unskilled workers to 125 days every fiscal year. In addition to introducing accountability and openness, the new bill will provide the gram panchayat and sabha the authority to decide what has to be done.
The bill was introduced by Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who stated that it will result in “comprehensive development of villages” and “meant to provide abundant employment to every poor person, uphold their dignity, and offer additional protection to the differently-abled, elderly, women, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes.”
According to Chouhan, the measure will prioritize water security through the construction of lakes, micro-irrigation channels, essential rural infrastructure, livelihood-related infrastructure, and special projects to lessen harsh weather.
According to the government, the proposed law empowers rural households by creating more job opportunities and is in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat. But in addition to renaming it, the opposition has expressed worries about state spending, centralized decision-making, and weakening of the law.
MGNREGA vs VB-G RAM G bill
According to the Center, MGNREGA was rife with corruption during the UPA administration, and the anticipated funds intended for material procurement were not utilized for assigned jobs.
But the new bill goes beyond material procurement corruption; it also includes new rules including a 60-day pause, as well as many modifications to guaranteed days, funding patterns, and wage payments.
The new program is a supply-driven structure with capped allocations, whereas MGNREGA was demand-driven based on worker availability. The state in question will be responsible for covering any additional expenses. For the project, the Center has set aside ₹95,000 crore.
The Center used to cover 75% of material costs and 100% of labor under MGNREGA. However, the new program functions as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), with the North-Eastern and Himalayan States/UT bearing 10% of the expenditures and all other states bearing 40%. The opposition has notably targeted the state’s cost-sharing program.
In order to facilitate the availability of farm labor during the busiest sowing and harvesting seasons, a new 60-day mandatory prohibition has been implemented during the agricultural seasons.
VB-G RAM G Bill has 4 main areas
The new program is centered on four main areas, whereas MGNREGA was focused on land development, drought resistance, and water supply:
- Water security: groundwater replenishment, irrigation assistance, etc.
- Roads, public buildings, educational infrastructure, and sanitary systems are examples of rural infrastructure.
- Infrastructure related to livelihoods: fishing, cattle, and agriculture
- Extreme weather: Flood control structures, embankments, shelters, and other disaster preparedness measures.
Additionally, state governments offer unemployment benefits to qualified candidates who do not find job within the allotted time limit.
Why Should MGNREGA Be Replaced?
Rural Realities Are Changing: MGNREGA was passed in 2005; the government claims that a modernized framework is necessary because the rural economy has changed.
Issues with Asset Quality: MGNREGA has been criticized for frequently producing low-utility or non-durable assets. Prioritizing “productive assets” like key infrastructure and water security is the goal of the new measure.
Labor Supply in Agriculture: During the busiest farming seasons, farmers have often complained that MGNREGA causes labor shortages. In order to remedy this, the new bill permits work breaks during harvest and sowing.
Fiscal Discipline: The Center can better control its spending by switching from a “open-ended” funding approach to a “normative allocation.”
Advantages of the VB-G RAM G Bill
Enhanced Employment Security Raising the yearly statutory guarantee from 100 to 125 days per household could result in higher incomes in rural areas.
Faster salary Payments: Compared to the 15-day cycle under MGNREGA, the bill’s weekly salary payments will improve workers’ liquidity.
Support for Agriculture: During the busiest agricultural seasons, the option to halt public works projects for up to 60 days guarantees that farmers have access to labor when they need it most.
Pay Attention to Water Security Enhancing irrigation and drinking water availability in rural regions is the goal of a focused effort on water-related projects.
Technological Integration: To prevent leaks and guarantee openness, the bill requires a thorough digital ecosystem that includes biometric verification and AI-enabled analytics.
Problems and Difficulties
Dilution of Rights: According to critics, the legal claim to work is essentially weakened when it is changed from a “Justiciable Right” to a “Schematic Entitlement” with a budget cap. Work may be refused if funds run out.
Fiscal Burden on States: Poorer states with high labor demand but low revenue capability, such as Bihar or Uttar Pradesh, are severely burdened financially by the change to a 60:40 financing split.
Centralization of Power: States’ ability to make plans based on local need is diminished by the “Normative Allocation” model, which gives the Center the authority to set financial caps.
Effect on Workers Who Are Vulnerable: Landless laborers who depend on the program for survival may suffer from the 60-day seasonal stop, especially during times when private farm employment may not be available or may pay poorly.
Errors in Exclusion: If “Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans” and digital stacks are heavily relied upon, workers who are illiterate or lack access to the internet may be left out.