New Delhi, July 1: The Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025 came into force across the country on Wednesday, giving eligible rural households a statutory right to 125 days of guaranteed wage employment and increasing the minimum notified daily wage to Rs 300 nationwide.
The implementation of the new law replaces the earlier 100-day employment guarantee with a 125-day entitlement and is aimed at strengthening rural livelihoods, creating durable community assets, conserving natural resources, improving agricultural productivity and promoting women-led development.
With the Act becoming operational, the Centre has notified revised wage rates for all States, Union Territories and notified wage areas. According to the Rural Development Ministry, no notified daily wage in the country will now be below Rs 300, while the national average notified wage has increased by over 10 per cent—from Rs 298.8 per day to Rs 327.4 per day.
The ministry said States including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have recorded wage increases ranging between 15 and 25 per cent.
To facilitate the rollout of the Act, the Government of India has released an interim allocation of Rs 95,692.31 crore to States and Union Territories for employment generation, timely wage payments and execution of development works.
Union Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan described the implementation of the Act as a “historic and unprecedented day for rural India.”
He said the legislation, introduced under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marks a transformative step towards ensuring dignity, livelihood security and self-reliance for millions of rural workers. Chouhan said eligible rural families will now have a legal entitlement to 125 days of employment instead of 100 days and asserted that the government’s priority is to ensure that no eligible worker is denied employment.
He added that the Centre and States have completed the administrative, financial and technical preparations required for the smooth implementation of the Act and expressed confidence that it would generate new livelihood opportunities, accelerate the creation of durable rural assets and strengthen women’s empowerment.
The Centre will formally launch the programme on July 2 at Mukkavaripalle village in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati district. The event will be attended by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Union Ministers of State Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani and Kamlesh Paswan, among others.
The national launch will include the distribution of Rural Employment Guarantee Cards to beneficiaries, the launch of the VB-G RAM G software platform, release of key publications, interaction with beneficiaries and inauguration of several initiatives aimed at ensuring effective implementation of the Act.
