New Delhi, 20 December (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday shared an insightful article by Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, spotlighting the transformative potential of the newly enacted Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, commonly known as the Viksit Bharat G RAM G Bill.
Posted via the Prime Minister's Office, the endorsement underscores the legislation's role in elevating rural livelihoods through enhanced employment guarantees and modern governance.
Introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 16 by Minister Chouhan amid opposition protests, the Bill passed both Houses of Parliament by December 18, replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with a statutory assurance of 125 days of wage employment annually for rural households whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work—up from the previous 100-day minimum.
Chouhan's article, hailed by PM Modi as must-read, elaborates how the measure embeds local planning via Panchayati Raj institutions, balances worker security with agricultural productivity by reserving 60 days during peak sowing and harvesting, converges schemes for efficiency, bolsters frontline capacity through higher administrative spending (up to 9%), and modernizes operations with digital attendance, weekly wage payments, and data-driven oversight.
Key reforms prioritize climate-resilient assets like water conservation, rural infrastructure (roads, storage, markets), and livelihood diversification to combat distress migration, stimulate village economies, and align with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
Funding follows a 60:40 Centre-State split (90:10 for North-Eastern/Himalayan states), with states retaining unemployment allowances; penalties for delays rise to ₹10,000, and special provisions target vulnerable groups including single women, disabled persons, and transgender individuals.
PM Modi emphasized the Bill represents not a retreat from social protection—but its renewal, echoing Chouhan's vision of Ram Rajya and Mahatma Gandhi's self-reliant villages.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
