New Delhi, Dec 18 (NationPress) In a significant transformation of India's rural employment landscape, the Centre has unveiled the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, which replaces the long-standing MGNREGA scheme that has been in effect for two decades.

This initiative is aligned with the vision for Viksit Bharat 2047 and aims to modernize rural wage employment by connecting it to sustainable infrastructure development, climate resilience, and assured funding.

The new legislation extends the employment guarantee from 100 days under MGNREGA to 125 days per rural household each year, enhancing financial stability for rural laborers.

Additionally, it incorporates a consolidated 60-day pause during the crucial sowing and harvesting seasons to maintain a balance between the needs of farmers and laborers.

A pivotal change in this framework is the integration of wage employment with long-term asset creation focused on four key priority areas: water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-related infrastructure, and specialized initiatives to combat extreme weather.

All constructed assets will be recorded under the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack, allowing for synchronized planning and monitoring at the national level.

The Bill also fortifies local planning through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans, which will be developed locally and digitally aligned with national projects like PM Gati Shakti.

Panchayati Raj Institutions are set to play a crucial role in implementation, with Gram Panchayats expected to oversee at least 50% of the project value.

From a financial perspective, the program shifts from a central sector scheme to a centrally sponsored model, introducing predictable funding mechanisms. The standard cost-sharing ratio will be 60:40 between the Centre and states, 90:10 for Northeastern and Himalayan states, and full central funding for Union Territories without legislative assemblies. The projected annual budget is Rs 1.51 lakh crore, with a central contribution of approximately Rs 95,692 crore.

To tackle persistent implementation issues, the Bill increases the administrative expense cap from 6% to 9%, allowing for improved staffing, training, and technical capacity at the operational level.

Moreover, it reinforces transparency through obligatory social audits, AI-driven monitoring, biometric verification, real-time dashboards, and GPS-enabled oversight of projects.

Crucially, the provision for an unemployment allowance has been preserved and strengthened. If work is not available within 15 days of a request, states will be required to pay a daily unemployment allowance, thereby reinforcing the legal guarantee.