VB-G RAM G ACT, 2025  ensures  employment security for workers- Ms. Aarti Rao

Chandigarh, January 2026 — Haryana Health and AYUSH Minister, Ms. Arti Rao said that Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) ACT, 2025 ensures corruption-free rural employment while maintaining complete transparency. She said this Act guarantees a higher number of workdays, improved wage rates, transparent payments, and the creation of sustainable assets in rural areas.

Addressing a press conference in Rewari on Wednesday, the Health Minister extended Makar Sankranti greetings to the people of the state and wished them good health and prosperity. Speaking to journalists, she said that Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi has taken another historic step towards workers’ welfare and rural development by introducing VB-G RAM G ACT, 2025 scheme, which will prove to be a milestone in building a developed India.

Ms. Arti Rao  further said that this Act is aimed at supporting actual beneficiaries. The legislation provides for real-time monitoring of projects and ensures transparency in wage payments, while increasing guaranteed employment and wages for workers. She said that the MGNREGA scheme was launched nearly 20 years ago and, like many such schemes, has evolved over time through implementation and reform. The country, society, and rural economy have undergone fundamental changes. Rural poverty, which stood at over 25 percent in 2011–12, has now declined to below 5 percent. This reflects the impact of the positive policies of the present central government, which have helped more than 25 percent of the population move above the poverty line. Over the past decade, under the leadership of Prime Minister, Sh.  Narendra Modi, there has been unprecedented expansion in digital connectivity, banking services, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), Aadhaar, and infrastructure, the Minister said.

The Health Minister further stated that under the new provisions, increasing the employment guarantee from 100 to 125 days has significantly enhanced assured earnings for workers. Through this initiative, the government aims to improve workers’ living standards.  She said that across the country, an average increase of more than Rs. 7,000 per year is expected in the annual income of an unskilled rural worker. In Haryana, where wage rates are higher, each worker will receive at least Rs. 10,000 more annually.

The Minister said that the Act ensures not only more days of employment and better wages, but also mandatory weekly wage payments, with a permissible delay of up to 15 days, enabling workers to receive their earnings in a timely manner and strengthening financial independence. To support effective implementation, the central government has allocated Rs. 1,51,282 crore this year, compared to Rs. 88,000 crore last year, which itself was a record allocation at the time. This year’s allocation has surpassed all previous levels, said Ms. Arti Rao.

The Minister said that the scope of permissible works has also been expanded. Earlier, employment under MGNREGA was limited in nature, whereas the new framework includes works related to water security, rural infrastructure, livelihood resources, and the creation of climate-resilient and sustainable assets. Gram Panchayat plans have been integrated with the PM Gati Shakti Master Plan to ensure that village-level development aligns with national priorities, she said.

Ms. Arti Rao further informed that a 60-day pause during peak agricultural seasons has also been introduced so that farmers and labourers can work together, allowing workers to earn higher market wages during agricultural periods.

Highlighting the anti-corruption measures, she said that several safeguards have been incorporated to ensure that only genuine workers receive their entitlements with full transparency. Biometric authentication and attendance will help eliminate fake workers, duplicate job cards, and fraudulent payments. Direct digital transfer of wages and allowances will remove intermediaries, prevent delays, and curb misuse of funds. Additionally, geo-tagging and satellite imagery have been made mandatory. All assets created under the Act will be geo-tagged and uploaded on ISRO’s Bhuvan portal, preventing the registration of fictitious projects. She emphasized that the scheme will make a tangible and lasting contribution to development.

On the occasion, MLAs, Sh. Laxman Singh Yadav, Dr. Krishan Kumar, and Sh. Anil Yadav were also present.