President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday gave assent to the Viksit Bharat, Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, formally replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005 with a revamped rural employment framework.
The new law raises the statutory guarantee of wage employment for rural households from 100 to 125 days per financial year, strengthening income security and predictability of work. The Act is aligned with the Centre’s Viksit Bharat @2047 vision and aims to shift rural employment from a welfare measure to a development-driven model.
New Act Focuses On Growth, Development
The VB G RAM G Act focuses on empowerment, inclusive growth, convergence of schemes and saturation-based delivery, while linking wage employment to the creation of durable and productive rural assets.
According to the Ministry of Rural Development, the Act modernises governance and accountability mechanisms and restores unemployment allowance as a meaningful statutory safeguard. If employment is not provided within the stipulated time, an allowance becomes payable after 15 days.
Law Mandates Weekly Payments
The law also mandates weekly wage payments, or within 15 days of work completion, with compensation for delays. States have been empowered to notify a cumulative pause period of up to 60 days annually to ensure availability of agricultural labour during peak sowing and harvesting seasons.
