Aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, came into force on July 1, 2026, replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Under the new framework, eligible rural households whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work are entitled to a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment per financial year.
According to the government, the transition to the new framework has been seamless, with digital systems operational from the commencement of implementation.
As of September 24, 2026, the programme had 10.88 crore active workers. More than 2.81 crore workers belonging to approximately 2.23 crore rural households had received employment on demand. Women accounted for 61.65 per cent of participation during the current financial year, highlighting their share in the programme's workforce.
The government reported that 2.83 lakh assets had been created, while 97.17 lakh works remained under execution. Around 20.16 lakh worksites were operational, and nearly 2.31 lakh Gram Panchayats were implementing works across the country.
To meet future employment demand, 73.24 lakh approved works were available. The programme had also issued 15.17 crore Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards. The daily wage rate under the framework ranges from Rs. 300 to Rs. 450, depending on the applicable rate.
Rs. 93,841 Crore Allocated for VB-G RAM G in 2026-27
The government has allocated a total of Rs. 93,841 crore to States and Union Territories as an interim allocation for the financial year 2026-27. Of this amount, a first instalment of Rs. 25,880 crore has been issued as a mother sanction to States and Union Territories.
The programme also recorded 3.76 crore Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) transactions during 2026-27 as of the reported date, supporting digital payments under the framework.
Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans to Drive Rural Development
The Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans (VGPPs) are a central component of the programme's rural development framework. Prepared with the participation of Gram Sabhas and Gram Panchayats, the plans help villages identify existing assets, assess infrastructure gaps and prioritise development works.
The planning process includes an inventory of assets created under various Central and State Government schemes. Geographic Information System (GIS) tools and digital platforms, including Yuktdhara and PM Gati Shakti, support integrated planning and the identification of development gaps.
These plans are consolidated at the Block, District, State and National levels, contributing to the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack.
The VGPP framework identifies 318 types of permissible works across four thematic areas: water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-related infrastructure and mitigation of extreme weather events.
According to the government, this approach seeks to combine resources and interventions from different departments and schemes to avoid duplication and promote coordinated village development.
Digital Systems to Strengthen Transparency and Accountability
Technology plays a central role in implementing VB-G RAM G, supporting worker verification, attendance monitoring, payments and oversight of development works.
The framework uses e-KYC, face and biometric authentication, geo-tagging, digital measurements and electronic Measurement Books (e-MB) to strengthen monitoring and accountability.
Direct Benefit Transfer facilitates payments, while real-time dashboards, spatial technology and artificial intelligence-enabled analytics support monitoring, reporting and corrective action.
Dedicated digital platforms, citizen engagement mechanisms and capacity-building initiatives are also intended to strengthen implementation at the grassroots level.
Linking Rural Employment with Durable Asset Creation
The VB-G RAM G framework seeks to link wage employment with the creation of durable rural assets and improved infrastructure. Through participatory planning, technology-enabled monitoring and convergence among government schemes, the programme aims to address local development needs while supporting rural livelihoods.
With more than 31.69 crore person-days of employment generated in 2026-27, the initiative combines a statutory employment guarantee with village-level infrastructure planning, digital oversight and coordinated development interventions. Its implementation brings together employment opportunities and the creation of rural assets under a framework aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
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