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The Union Government introduced the Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 (VB-G RAM G) in the Lok Sabha on 16 December 2025, aiming to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005. Tabled by Union Rural Development and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Bill marks a decisive shift in India’s rural employment framework. MGNREGA was a rights-based, demand-driven law that guaranteed 100 days of wage employment annually to every rural household. If work was not provided, workers were entitled to unemployment allowance, making it a legally enforceable right. However, performance gaps persisted. Despite the statutory guarantee, average employment in 2024–25 was only around 50 days per household, with a very small proportion completing the full 100 days. A 2024 committee report highlighted these governance and implementation challenges. The VB-G RAM G Bill introduces structural changes. While it raises the statutory guarantee to 125 days, it replaces demand-based employment with a supply-driven, allocation-based system controlled by the Union Government. Annual employment will now depend on pre-determined budgetary allocations, limiting States’ ability to respond to rising demand. A major concern is the changed cost-sharing pattern. Under MGNREGA, the Centre bore most of the financial responsibility. The new Bill proposes a 60:40 Centre-State ratio for most States, while only North-Eastern and Himalayan States retain the 90:10 ratio. This significantly increases the fiscal burden on States, many of which already struggle to fund additional workdays. The Bill also increases central control. The Union Government will decide State-wise normative allocations, notify specific rural areas for implementation, and end the universal rural coverage that defined MGNREGA. Additionally, the provision for a 60-day seasonal pause during peak agricultural periods has raised fears of income insecurity for rural workers. On implementation, VB-G RAM G mandates biometric authentication, app-based attendance, and geospatial monitoring. While aimed at transparency, critics warn of digital exclusion, surveillance, and payment delays. The government defends the reform by citing rural transformation since 2005, changing aspirations, and the need for infrastructure-led growth, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods. However, civil society groups and opposition parties argue that the Bill dilutes the constitutional right to work, centralises power, weakens federalism, and undermines social justice. Ultimately, the VB-G RAM G Bill represents a paradigm shift—from a welfare-oriented rights framework to a centrally controlled development model. Its real impact will depend on parliamentary scrutiny, State capacity, and on-ground implementation. 👉 Join Our WhatsApp Channel- https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaaGAqPCxoAugdgpyH41 For any Query- Call Now: 📞 8988885050 or 8988886060 Email: 📩 info@vajiraoinstitute.com 🌐 Visit: www.vajiraoinstitute.com Registration is Now Open for both online and offline batches in 2025. Hurry up, limited seats. 📌 Follow us on Social Media: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/vajiraoinstitute/ Twitter - https://x.com/vajiraoandreddy LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/school/vajirao-and-reddy-institute-delhi Pinterest - https://in.pinterest.com/vajiraoandreddyinstitute #MGNREGA #VBGRAMG #RuralEmployment #RightToWork #IndianPolity #SocialJustice #Federalism #Governance #RuralDevelopment #UPSC #GS2 #CurrentAffairs