The Centre’s new VB-G RAM G rural employment guarantee scheme has recorded significant progress since its implementation on July 1 this year, with the number of active workers under the scheme going up to 10.88 crore and more than 31.69 crore person-days of employment being generated as of September 24, according to a government factsheet issued on Tuesday.
Women’s participation in the scheme stands at 61.65 per cent while employment is being provided to workers on demand.
VB-G RAM G Scheme Records 10.88 Crore Active Workers
The number of works under execution have touched the 97.17 lakh mark and approved works are readily available to meet future employment demand of 73.24 lakh people, according to the factsheet.
Close to 2.31 lakh Gram Panchayats in the country are presently executing works across the country. An average wage rate of Rs 283.24 per day per person is being paid under the scheme and as many as 3.76 crore direct benefit transfers (DBT) into the workers’ accounts have already taken place in the first three months of the scheme.
Rs 93,841 Crore Allocated for VB-G RAM G in FY 2026-27
A total of Rs 93,841 crore has been allocated to states and UTs as interim allocation for FY 2026-27. Out of this, a Mother Sanction of Rs 25,880 crore has been issued as the first instalment to the states and UTs, the factsheet further states.
The transition from Mahatma Gandhi NREGA to VB-G RAM G has been seamless and disruption-free. Digital systems supporting implementation were operational from the commencement of the new framework, the statement said.
VB-G RAM G Provides 125 Days of Wage Employment
The Act provides a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment every financial year. The guarantee covers every rural household whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work. It promotes empowerment, growth, convergence and saturation for a prosperous and resilient rural Bharat. It focuses on four thematic areas: water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-related infrastructure and mitigation of extreme weather events.
The Act institutionalizes a ‘Whole-of-Government’ approach through convergence-driven and saturation-oriented planning. At its core is the preparation of ‘Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans’ (VGPPs). These provide an integrated framework for addressing the diverse developmental needs of Gram Panchayats.
What Are Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans Under VB-G RAM G?
VGPPs are a key institutional reform under VB-G RAM G. They enable participatory, evidence-based, saturation-oriented, and convergence-driven planning at the grassroots level.
VGPPs put local needs at the centre of rural development planning. They are prepared with the active participation of the Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat. The Gram Sabha provides due recommendation and approval of the plans. VGPPs enable villages to identify their actual development needs, existing assets and development gaps, and prioritise works accordingly, the statement added.
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