New bill promises 125 days of guaranteed rural employment annually.
A significant transformation is on the horizon for rural India's employment landscape. The Union Government is preparing to overhaul the existing job guarantee structure by repealing the decades-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) of 2005. In its place, the Centre aims to enact a fresh piece of legislation titled the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin).
This major development came to light on Monday when the proposed legislation was circulated among members of the Lok Sabha. The move signals a strategic shift in how the government approaches rural welfare, intending to align grassroots development with the broader national objective of a "Viksit Bharat" (Developed India) by the year 2047.
From 100 to 125 Days of Work
The most impactful change proposed in the "VB-G RAM G" Bill, 2025, addresses the duration of employment. Under the current MGNREGA system, rural households are legally guaranteed 100 days of wage employment. However, the new framework seeks to increase this cap. If passed, the new mission will provide a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment per financial year to every rural household where adult members volunteer for unskilled manual labor.
A New Vision for Rural Resilience
According to the text of the circulated Bill, the objective goes beyond simple employment. The legislation is designed to create a robust rural development framework that mirrors the country's futuristic goals. The government emphasizes that this transition is necessary to drive "empowerment, growth, convergence, and saturation," ultimately aiming to build a more prosperous and resilient rural Bharat.
While MGNREGA has been the backbone of the rural economy for nearly two decades, the introduction of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission suggests the Centre is looking to modernize the safety net, ensuring it contributes more effectively to the nation's long-term economic roadmap. The Bill is expected to be tabled for discussion in Parliament soon, marking a pivotal moment for millions of workers across the country.
