New law in place of MNREGA now guarantees 125 days employment to rural families (file photo)
Digital Desk, New Delhi. Making a major change in the rural employment system, the Central Government introduced the Vikas Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) Bill (VB-G RAM G), 2025 which was passed by the Lok Sabha. This new law will replace the nearly 20 year old MGNREGA.
What will be the benefits of this scheme?
How many days will the 'pause window' be?
However, keeping in mind the agricultural work, a new provision has been added to it. A total 'pause window' of 60 days has been kept during the sowing and harvesting seasons, so that there is no shortage of laborers in the fields and farmers do not have to suffer losses.
Work linked to four priority areas
Emphasis on funding, transparency and accountability
Now this scheme will not be a central sector scheme but a centrally sponsored scheme. The funding ratio will be 60:40 for general states, 90:10 for north-eastern and Himalayan states and 100 per cent for Union Territories without legislature. The estimated annual expenditure is Rs 1.51 lakh crore, of which the Centre's share will be around Rs 95,692 crore.
For better implementation at the ground level, the limit of administrative expenditure has been increased from 6 percent to 9 percent, so that staff, training and technical capacity can be strengthened. Social audit, AI based monitoring, biometric verification, real-time dashboard and GPS tracking have been mandated for transparency.
Unemployment allowance will continue
Like MNREGA, the provision of unemployment allowance has been retained in the new law also. If employment is not provided within 15 days of seeking work, the state government will have to pay daily unemployment allowance. This will further strengthen the legal guarantee of employment.