Kolkata, 04 June (H.S.) : The West Bengal government will introduce a new rural employment initiative titled “Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rural Employment and Livelihood Augmentation Mission–Gramin (VB-GRAM-G)” from July 1, Rural Development Minister Dilip Ghosh announced on Thursday. He also said that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), widely known as the 100-day work scheme, has been revived in the state from June 1 after remaining stalled since March 2022.
Under the VB-GRAM-G programme, eligible job card-holding households will be guaranteed up to 125 days of employment annually, along with a minimum assured 60 days of wage employment every year. The scheme is expected to cover nearly 2.56 crore job card holders across West Bengal.
Ghosh said the programme would be implemented on a cost-sharing basis between the Centre and the state in a 60:40 ratio, with an estimated annual expenditure exceeding ₹12,850 crore, making it one of the largest rural employment initiatives in the state.
He further stated that individuals excluded from electoral rolls following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) would not be eligible for benefits under the new scheme.
“MGNREGS has already been resumed in the state from June 1. From July 1, VB-GRAM-G will be implemented, under which eligible beneficiaries will receive guaranteed employment for up to 125 days,” Ghosh said.
The revival of MGNREGS comes after a prolonged dispute between the Centre and the erstwhile Trinamool Congress-led state government over alleged irregularities in fund utilisation and implementation of projects. Central funding under the scheme had been suspended in 2022 following concerns raised by the Union Rural Development Ministry regarding compliance and accountability.
Ghosh also alleged that the scheme had earlier been misused under the Trinamool Congress regime, claiming irregularities in implementation and questioning the integrity of past panchayat-level execution.
MGNREGS has historically been a key source of livelihood for landless labourers, marginal farmers, and economically weaker rural households in West Bengal, particularly during the agricultural off-season.
Officials said preparatory work for the VB-GRAM-G rollout is already underway, including drafting operational guidelines, training field-level staff, and establishing monitoring mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability in implementation.
Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
