Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Wednesday, 24 June 2026 announced that his government has approved the draft framework of the 'VB-G Ram Ji Yojana, Chhattisgarh', a state-level rural employment scheme that promises eligible rural households a guaranteed 125 days of wage employment every year — surpassing the 100-day ceiling under the central MGNREGA framework.

Context

Posting on X, CM Sai described the cabinet-level approval as a step toward 'aajivika sashaktikaran' (livelihood empowerment) in villages. Translating his post, he wrote: 'New energy for rural development, a new guarantee for employment... by approving the draft of the VB-G Ram Ji Yojana, our government has taken an important initiative in the direction of livelihood empowerment in villages.' He added that the scheme would strengthen the rural economy and accelerate the building of 'aatmanirbhar gaon' (self-reliant villages).

The announcement came with a video attachment, suggesting the government intends to communicate the scheme directly to rural audiences across the state.

Policy Backdrop

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), enacted in 2005, is a central law that legally guarantees up to 100 days of wage employment annually to rural households across India. The VB-G Ram Ji Yojana appears designed to supplement this floor by adding 25 additional days, bringing the total guaranteed employment to 125 days per year for eligible families in Chhattisgarh.

Indian states have periodically introduced such top-up schemes to address seasonal unemployment gaps that MGNREGA alone does not cover. BJP-governed states have frequently framed such measures within the Atmanirbhar Bharat and sushasan (good governance) agendas that have been central to the party's policy narrative since 2014. CM Sai, who took office in December 2023 after the party's victory in the state assembly elections, has positioned the scheme as a signature governance commitment of his administration.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries are eligible rural families across Chhattisgarh's villages, particularly those dependent on seasonal agricultural labour and daily-wage work. An additional 25 days of guaranteed employment can meaningfully supplement household incomes during lean agricultural periods, reducing distress migration to urban centres.

Village-level institutions, gram panchayats, and state rural development machinery will likely be the implementing agencies, though the specific operational guidelines, eligibility norms, and wage rates are yet to be made public. The approval of the praroop (draft framework) signals policy intent; the detailed rollout architecture is expected to follow.

What's Next

The immediate priority for the Chhattisgarh government will be finalising budgetary allocations sufficient to fund the incremental 25 days of employment beyond MGNREGA's central funding. Watchers will look for the notification of eligibility criteria, the phased rollout schedule across the state's development blocks, and the wage structure to assess how the scheme compares with MGNREGA rates.

If implemented at scale, the VB-G Ram Ji Yojana could become a model that other BJP-ruled states reference as they seek to differentiate their rural welfare offerings ahead of future electoral cycles — and a key plank in CM Sai's governance record heading into the next state assembly election.