New Delhi, Dec 21 (NationPress) President Droupadi Murmu has officially approved the Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB—G RAM G) Bill, 2025, as reported on Sunday by an official.

This development is a crucial step towards reshaping rural employment policies, according to a spokesperson from the Rural Development Ministry.

The newly enacted VB—G RAM G Act, 2025 increases the statutory wage employment guarantee to 125 days each financial year for rural families. Its aim is to foster empowerment, inclusive growth, convergence of developmental efforts, and effective delivery, thereby fortifying the basis for a thriving, resilient, and self-sufficient Rural Bharat.

Previously, the Parliament endorsed the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, indicating a significant reform in India's rural employment and development strategy.

This Act replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, introducing a contemporary statutory framework that boosts livelihood security and aligns with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

According to the Ministry's statement, the Act is grounded in principles of empowerment, growth, convergence, and saturation, aiming to convert rural employment from merely a welfare initiative into a comprehensive development tool.

It enhances income security for rural families, modernizes governance and accountability, and associates wage employment with creating durable and productive rural assets, thereby establishing a solid groundwork for a prosperous and resilient Rural Bharat.

One of the Act's pivotal features is the enhanced statutory employment guarantee, as highlighted in the statement.

The Act assures no less than 125 days of wage employment per rural household annually for households where adult members are willing to engage in unskilled manual labor (Section 5(1)). This improvement over the previous 100-day entitlement significantly boosts livelihood security and work predictability, while also allowing families to contribute more effectively to national development.

Additionally, the Act incorporates balanced provisions for agricultural and rural labor. To ensure adequate agricultural labor during peak sowing and harvesting seasons, it empowers states to declare a combined pause period of up to 60 days in a financial year (Section 6).

The Ministry clarified that the full 125-day employment guarantee will remain in effect for the rest of the year, ensuring a calibrated balance that promotes both agricultural productivity and worker security.

Technology is intended to serve as an enabling mechanism under the Act. Sections 23 and 24 facilitate technology-driven transparency through biometric authentication, geo-tagging, and real-time dashboards. Meanwhile, Section 20 enhances social audits by Gram Sabhas, ensuring community oversight, transparency, and inclusion, as noted in the statement.

The Act eliminates previous dis-entitlement clauses and reinstates an unemployment allowance as a significant statutory safeguard. If employment is not provided within the specified time, an unemployment allowance becomes applicable after 15 days, as stated.