Page 32 - NIS English 16-31 Jan, 2026

PARLIAMENT | Winter Session

New Employment Guarantee for Rural India

The New Avatar of MNREGA

Viksit Bharat-G RAM G Bill

The welfare of villages and the poor has been a top priority for the central government. Over the
past decade, several schemes and programmes have been launched to increase employment
and self-employment opportunities for them. The Parliament passed the Viksit Bharat -
Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) Bill 2025, also known as the ‘Viksit Bharat – G Ram
Ji’ Bill, which has now become law after receiving presidential assent. This law will transform
the face of villages and guarantee 125 days of employment to every family in a financial year.
This will strengthen Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of self-reliant and developed villages…

he new avatar of MNREGA, the ‘Viksit Bharat-G Since its implementation in 2005, the Mahatma
Ram Ji Bill 2025’, is not just an employment Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee
T scheme but a blueprint for making rural Act (MNREGA) has played a crucial role in provid-
India self-reliant. Learning from the experiences of ing wage employment, stabilising rural incomes,
MNREGA, the government aims to create a system and building basic infrastructure. Over time,
that, along with providing employment, strengthens the infrastructure and aspirations of rural India
sustainable development and livelihood oppor- have changed significantly. Increased incomes,
tunities in rural areas. This is because achieving enhanced connectivity, widespread digital access,
the objective of Viksit Bharat @ 2047 requires a and diversified livelihoods have transformed the
transformative approach to rural development. nature of rural employment needs. This is why
This is why the wage employment guarantee for the central government introduced the Viksit
rural households has been increased from 100 Bharat-Employment and Livelihood Mission
days to 125 days per year in a financial year. One (Rural) Bill, 2025, in Parliament. This bill replaces
of the main objectives of the bill is to align the rural MNREGA with comprehensive statutory changes
development framework with the national vision of that strengthen accountability, infrastructure out-
Viksit Bharat 2047. This can prove to be a decisive comes, and income security. President Droupadi
step towards poverty reduction and the creation of Murmu gave her assent to the VB-G Ram Ji Bill,
sustainable infrastructure in villages. 2025, on December 21.

30 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || January 16-31, 2026