Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai announced on Wednesday, 24 June 2026 that his government has approved the draft framework of the VB-G Ram Ji Yojana, Chhattisgarh, a state scheme designed to guarantee eligible rural households 125 days of employment every year, extending beyond the floor set by the central rural jobs programme.

Posting on X, CM Sai said — 'ग्रामीण विकास को नई ऊर्जा, रोजगार को नई गारंटी' ['New energy for rural development, a new guarantee of employment'] — and described the approval as 'an important initiative towards livelihood empowerment in villages.' He added that the scheme reflects the government's resolve that 'every hand gets opportunity and every village sees development.'

Context

The announcement positions VB-G Ram Ji Yojana as a state-level supplement to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which since 2005 has mandated a minimum of 100 days of wage employment per rural household per year. By guaranteeing 125 days, Chhattisgarh would offer 25 additional days of work security beyond the national floor, targeting families who exhaust their MGNREGA entitlement before the agricultural season resumes.

Chhattisgarh is a central Indian state with a large rural population dependent on agriculture, forests, and seasonal labour. Distress migration — workers leaving villages for urban construction sites during lean agricultural months — has long been a structural challenge in the state.

Policy Backdrop

Indian states have periodically layered state-funded employment guarantees on top of the MGNREGA framework to address local agrarian conditions. The BJP government in Chhattisgarh, which came to power in December 2023 under CM Sai, has made rural self-reliance a stated priority. The approval of the scheme's draft — praaroop — indicates the policy has cleared cabinet-level scrutiny and is moving toward formal notification and implementation.

The scheme's name references Ram Ji, carrying cultural resonance in a state with a significant tribal and agrarian electorate. The framing of 'suśāsan' (good governance) as the government's resolve is consistent with the BJP's broader messaging on welfare delivery since the 2023 assembly election.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries are eligible rural households across Chhattisgarh's villages — particularly those in rain-fed agricultural zones and forest-fringe communities where off-season income is scarce. An extended employment guarantee of 125 days could provide a meaningful income buffer and reduce the compulsion to migrate seasonally.

Village economies stand to gain through increased local spending power, and gram panchayats are likely to be the implementing units, creating demand for local infrastructure and public works. Labour contractors and urban employers in sectors that rely on seasonal migrant workers from the state could see a tighter supply pool if the scheme achieves its stated goals.

What's Next

The approval of the draft framework is the first formal step; the scheme must still receive a budgetary allocation, operational guidelines, and beneficiary registration infrastructure before any household can claim the 125-day entitlement. Observers will watch the next Chhattisgarh state budget session for funding details and the rollout timeline. Integration with existing MGNREGA job cards and works lists will be a key administrative challenge. The pace of pilot implementation and early beneficiary numbers will determine whether the scheme translates from policy approval into on-ground impact for rural families.