Lok Sabha Question No. 5285 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-24
Subject: Protests Against VB-G RAM-G
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5285 ANSWERED ON 24/03/2026

## PROTESTS AGAINST VB-G RAM-G

## 5285. Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  Mahatma  Gandhi National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS) workers and unions in Punjab, particularly in Ludhiana district, have announced a series of conventions and protests against changes to the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission-Gramin (VB-G RAM-G) earlier the MGNREG Act;
- (b) whether it is a fact that workers' organisations have opposed proposals to alter the existing 90:10 Centre-State funding ratio, reduce the role of gram panchayats in selecting and planning work  rather  than  a  legal  guarantee  of  100  days  of  work  per household, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  VB-GRAM-G/MGNREGS  workers  in  Punjab  currently receive wages around Rs 346 per day, have reported an actual average  of  only  about  36  days  of  work  annually,  and  are demanding increased wages (around Rs 700 per day), full 100 days  of  employment  and  timely  payments,  if  so,  the  details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)

(a) & (b): The primary objective of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, is to align  the  rural  development  framework  with  the  national  vision  of Viksit  Bharat  @2047  by  providing  an  enhanced  statutory  wage employment guarantee of one hundred and twenty-five days in each financial  year  to  such  rural  households  whose  adult  members volunteer to undertake unskilled manual work, thereby enabling them to  participate  more effectively  in  the  expanded  livelihood  security framework.

Certain  expressions  of  views  by  stakeholders  in  Punjab  in relation to the implementation of VB-G RAM-G have been reported in sections of the media.

With regards to role of Panchayat in implementation of VB-G RAM-G it is stated that in section 16 of the Act, role of the Panchayat Raj  Institutions  in  planning  and  implementation  of  VB-G  RAM  G Schemes  has been clearly defined,  which are as  follows: -

- (1)  The  Panchayats  at  the  district,  intermediate  and  village  levels shall  be  the  principal  authorities  for  planning,  implementation  and monitoring of the Scheme made under the Act.
- (2) The Panchayat at the district level, shall oversee and coordinate implementation of the Scheme in the district, including finalisation and  approval  of  the  aggregate  district  level  plan,  supervision  and monitoring of works, ensuring convergence, and perform such other functions as may be assigned to it by the State Government.
- (3) The Panchayat at the intermediate level, shall prepare and finalise the aggregate Block level plan, support Gram Panchayats in planning and implementation, supervise works at Gram Panchayat and Block levels, and facilitate convergence with line departments.
- (4)  The  Gram  Panchayat  shall  register  households,  receive  and process applications for work, prepare the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans, execute the works assigned to it, maintain such records as may be specified by the State Government, and discharge such other responsibilities as may be entrusted to it under the Scheme.

Additionally,  the  Gram  Panchayat  is  the  primary  village-level authority for planning, implementation, and execution of works under the  Scheme.  It  is  responsible  for  registering  rural  households  and issuing  Gramin  Rozgar  Guarantee  Cards,  receiving  and  processing applications for work, and maintaining all related records.

The Gram Panchayat prepares the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan through a participatory process based on recommendations of the Gram  Sabha  and  Ward  Sabhas,  ensuring  saturation-based  and convergence-oriented planning.

It executes works allotted by the Programme Officer and may take  up  any  sanctioned  work  from  the  approved  Viksit  Gram Panchayat Plan within its jurisdiction, with at least fifty percent of

the  total  works  (in  cost  terms)  to  be  implemented  through  Gram Panchayats.

Gram Panchayat is required to maintain muster rolls and other prescribed  records,  ensure  that  works  meet  required  technical standards  and  measurements,  and  follow  digital  and  transparency requirements. It must place all relevant documents, including muster rolls, bills, vouchers, measurement books, sanction orders, and geotagged and digital records before the Gram Sabha to enable regular social audits and public scrutiny, thereby supporting transparency, accountability, and grievance redressal in implementation.

Overall, the Act positions the Gram Panchayat as the principal grassroot institution responsible for demand registration, participatory planning, decentralised execution, worker engagement, and public accountability under the Scheme  framework. The experience  gained  through  implementation  of  Mahatma  Gandhi NREGS has also been taken into account while framing the new Act.

With regards to altering of existing funding pattern, it is stated that a 60:40 Centre-State financial sharing pattern would not affect the implementation of the scheme and guarantee given therein. Here it  is  also  stated  that,  all  major  rural  employment  schemes  in  the country have operated on shared funding models between the Centre and the States. For example:

- (i)  The  National  Rural  Employment  Programme  (NREP)  followed  a 75:25 sharing pattern.
- (ii) The Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP) adopted a 50:50 model.
- (iii) The Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY) operated on an 80:20 basis.
- (iv)  Schemes  such  as  SGRY  (Sampoorn  Grameen  Rozgar  Yojana), EAS(Employment Assurance Scheme) were also implemented on a Centre-State sharing pattern, generally in the ratio of 75:25.

Further most of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) across sectors are being implemented on 60:40 sharing model. The 60:40 pattern  adopted  under  this  Act  is  therefore  consistent  with  the broader framework of Centrally Sponsored Schemes.

This model promotes cooperative federalism by making States active partners in rural development. The journey from Viksit Gram

Panchayats to a Viksit Bharat requires strong State ownership and accountability,  and  the  shared  funding  framework  reinforces  this partnership approach.

In  addition,  special  provisions  have  been  made  for  NorthEastern and  Himalayan  States  and Union Territory (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir), where a 90:10 CentreState sharing pattern applies, ensuring that financially constrained States are not placed under undue stress.

Moreover,  the  Act  also  provides  that  in  the  event  of  natural disasters,  pandemics,  or  other  extraordinary  circumstances,  State Governments may recommend special operational relaxations to the Centre.  The framework is thus responsive, flexible, and sensitive to emerging needs. Overall, the funding pattern is designed to balance fiscal responsibility, State participation, and national rural development priorities.

(c): With regard to fixation of wage payment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS  it  is  stated  that  as  per  Section  6  (1)  of  Mahatma  Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (Mahatma Gandhi NREGA), 2005, the Central Government may, by notification, specify the wage rate for unskilled work for its beneficiaries. Accordingly, the Ministry of Rural Development notifies Mahatma Gandhi NREGA wage rate for every  financial  year  for  States/UTs.  To  compensate  the  Mahatma Gandhi  NREGA  workers  against  inflation,  the  Ministry  of  Rural Development revises the Wage rate every year based on change in Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labour (CPI-AL). The wage rate is made applicable from 1st April of each financial year.

In case of Punjab, the notified wage rate for the State of Punjab for unskilled workers under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS for the financial year 2024-25 was Rs. 322, which has been revised to Rs. 346 for the financial  year  2025-26.  This  reflects  an  increase  of  approximately

6.94% in the wage rate.

Further, it is also submitted that State Governments can provide wages  over  and  above  the  wage  rate  notified  by  the  Central Government from their own resources.

With regard to timely payment of wages, it is stated that in the current  financial  year  2025-26  (as  on  19.03.2026),  89.85  %  Fund Transfer Orders (FTOs) are generated within 15 days from the closure of muster rolls in the State of Punjab under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS.

Further,  as  per  the  provisions  of  the  Act,  beneficiaries  are entitled  to  receive  wage  payments  within  15  days  of  closure  of muster roll. In order to ensure timely payment, the Government of India  has  issued  a  comprehensive  Standard  Operating  Procedure (SOP) to all States/UTs, which defines fixed timelines for each stage of  the  wage  payment  process  from  muster  roll  uploading  to  FTO

approval.

The Ministry has taken various steps to ensure timely payment of wages  to  workers  under  the  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS). Some of the key interventions include:

- Direct  Benefit  Transfer  (DBT):  Wages  are  transferred  directly from the central account to workers' bank accounts, minimizing the role of intermediaries and reducing fund misappropriation. This has proven to be effective in enhancing transparency and preventing leakages. Almost 100% of the funds are managed electronically  with  the  wage  payment  made  entirely  through
-  Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) protocol.
-  Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS): APBS conversion is a major  reform  process  where  benefits  are  credited  directly through  Aadhaar  Payments  Bridge  System  (APBS),  cutting several  layers  in  the  delivery  process.  APBS  helps  in  better targeting, increasing the efficiency of the system and reducing the delays in payments, ensuring greater inclusion by curbing leakages thereby promoting greater accountability and transparency.
-  National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS): Real-time attendance  capture  through  geo-tagged  photographs  at  the worksite ensures accurate and timely recording of attendance, which helps in timely payment of wages to workers.

Here it is also stated that Mahatma Gandhi NREGS is a fall-back are available.  Further, States are regularly sensitized by this Department option when no better employment opportunities to ensure that no demand for work goes unmet.

During the current Financial Year 2025-26 (as on 19.03.2026), offered employment  against  the  demand  for  the  employment  under  the

99.82% of the eligible rural households have been scheme, reflecting effective implementation of the scheme.

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