Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai announced on Wednesday, 24 June 2026 that the state Council of Ministers has approved two major rural development schemes aimed at guaranteeing employment and boosting self-reliance in villages across the state.

Context

Posting on X, CM Sai said the cabinet had cleared the framework for the 'VB-G Ram Ji Yojana' (VB-G Ram Ji Yojana), describing it as a step toward guaranteeing 125 days of wage employment to rural households. A second scheme, 'Atal Ajeevika Samridhi Haat' (Atal Ajeevika Samridhi Haat), was also approved to accelerate local production, employment, and self-employment in villages. In his words, the decisions mark 'an important step toward realising the resolve of moving from livelihood to self-reliance, and from self-reliance to a developed Chhattisgarh.'

Policy Backdrop

The announcements build on the architecture of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the central legislation enacted in 2005 that guarantees up to 100 days of wage employment per year to rural households across India. The proposed VB-G Ram Ji Yojana would, if implemented, extend that floor by 25 additional days, placing Chhattisgarh among states that have supplemented the central framework with state-funded top-ups to address seasonal unemployment gaps.

The Atal Ajeevika Samridhi Haat scheme follows a broader national pattern of establishing rural market platforms to give village producers direct access to buyers, reduce dependence on intermediaries, and promote value addition of locally made goods — a model aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat framework launched at the central level in 2020. Chhattisgarh, with its large tribal and agrarian population, has historically been a significant beneficiary of rural employment programmes.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of both schemes are rural households in Chhattisgarh, particularly those dependent on agricultural wages and seasonal labour. The VB-G Ram Ji Yojana targets income security during lean agricultural seasons, while the Atal Ajeevika Samridhi Haat is designed to create sustained market linkages for village-level producers and artisans.

Self-help group members, small farmers, and cottage-industry workers stand to benefit from the haat network, which is intended to provide organised platforms for trade and entrepreneurship at the gram panchayat or block level. The Chhattisgarh Council of Ministers, chaired by CM Sai, approved the draft frameworks; detailed operational guidelines, budgetary allocations, and rollout timelines are yet to be formally notified.

What's Next

The state government is expected to release implementation guidelines, district-wise rollout plans, and budgetary allocations for both schemes in the coming months. The success of the VB-G Ram Ji Yojana will depend on the state's capacity to fund the additional 25 days beyond the central MGNREGA entitlement and on convergence with existing district administration machinery. The Atal Ajeevika Samridhi Haat network will require site selection, infrastructure development, and vendor registration processes before it becomes operational on the ground.