What happened

The Ministry of Rural Development reviewed implementation of rural employment delivery with States/Union Territories and reported steps to handle implementation-related issues under the national rural employment guarantee framework. The Government operationalised the Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB–G RAM G) Act, 2025 from 1 July 2026, along with an online Management Information System (MIS) for real-time monitoring and issue resolution. The Ministry also reported wage-payment reforms using the National Electronic Fund Management System (NeFMS) and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), under which wages are credited directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts, supported by Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for timelines and responsibilities.

Background and earlier position

Under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, employment is provided to rural households that demand work under the Act’s provisions. Person-days generated vary across States/UTs and across financial years based on registered demand, with year-wise and State/UT-wise person-day details stated to be provided in an annexure for the last five financial years. The Government’s reporting also emphasises that wage payment performance depends on demand and fulfilment status as reflected in stages of the delivery process.

What changed now

The Government enacted and operationalised the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025 effective from 1 July 2026 across rural areas. The Act enhances the statutory employment guarantee from 100 days to 125 days per rural household in a financial year. The Act additionally adopts a thematic focus on livelihood-related infrastructure, including support for Skill Development Centres, Rural Libraries, Digital Learning Centres and other community assets. The Government further reported a whole-of-government approach through convergence with agriculture, allied sectors and other Government programmes. For delivery and oversight, the Ministry stated that it has deputed officers to States for review and handholding support, and that it uses technology-enabled MIS to monitor wage payments and pendency at different stages through regular reviews with States/UTs. Funds are released to States/UTs based on actual ground demand and statutory/financial fulfilment.

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