Modi government's most ambitious restructuring of rural employment and village development in years is now weeks away from launch, and the Centre is urging states to make sure they are ready for it.
This week, Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers Welfare, and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan chaired a high-level meeting of State Rural Development Ministers via video conference, reviewing preparations for the rollout of Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G, the new rural development framework set to replace the existing arrangements from July 1, 2026. Union Minister of State Chandrasekhar Pemmasani also participated in the meeting.
The Centre has already allocated ₹30,000 crore under MGNREGA to ensure zero disruption in rural employment through the transition. On top of that, an interim allocation of ₹95,692.31 crore was released on June 9 to states and Union Territories, taking the combined outlay to over ₹1.25 lakh crore.
This money is intended to reach nearly 2.80 lakh Gram Panchayats across India, with each panchayat set to receive funds running into several lakhs of rupees.
The largest allocations among states went to Uttar Pradesh (₹9,721.48 crore), West Bengal (₹8,508 crore), Andhra Pradesh (₹7,707.21 crore), Tamil Nadu (₹7,585.49 crore), and Rajasthan (₹7,581.87 crore).
According to the union minister, not a single rural worker should remain without work even for a single day during the transition. States were directed to give advance approvals to a sufficient number of works so that implementation can begin at full pace from July 1 itself, and to ensure that wage payments and statutory rights under MGNREGA remain uninterrupted until that date.
On the administrative side, twenty-six states have already made budgetary provisions for the new framework. Jharkhand, Karnataka, Telangana, and Mizoram are yet to do so, and Chouhan said he would write personally to their Chief Ministers.
He also commended Mizoram, Puducherry, and Andhra Pradesh for having already issued the required state-level notifications.
All states were directed to notify agricultural peak seasons, complete 100 per cent e-KYC, and organise capacity-building programmes at the district and block level.
The Centre also looks to hold a National Rural Development Conference at the PUSA Institute in New Delhi on June 28 and 29, ahead of the July 1 launch, where final implementation details will be discussed.
