New Delhi, 22/12/25 (AMA AITIHA): President Dauphi Murmu on Sunday gave his assent to the Developed India-Employment and Livelihood Guarantee Mission (Gramin) or VB-G Ram Ji Bill 2025. As a result, the way has been opened for the implementation of the new rural employment scheme. This new law will be implemented in place of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which has been in force in the country for the past two decades. Which will help in achieving the goal of building a developed India by 2047. VB-G Ram Ji Bill 2025 was passed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday and Rajya Sabha on Friday. The bill was strongly opposed by the opposition. After getting the approval of the Parliament, the bill was sent for the President’s assent. This new law will provide 125 days of guaranteed employment to the unemployed in rural areas. The current MNREGA scheme had a 100-day employment guarantee. The Congress has threatened to take to the streets to oppose the new law. The Congress has even said that it will hold protests in every village. The new law is being widely opposed because it removes the name of Mahatma Gandhi. Section 5(1) of the Act places a clear constitutional obligation on the government to provide guaranteed employment to eligible rural households within 125 days. The extension of the guarantee days, along with strong accountability and grievance redressal mechanisms, will strengthen the implementation of this right. Sections 16 to 19 of the Act have vested the planning, implementation and monitoring powers in the district and state authorities.
Sections 4(5) and 22(4) retain the constitutional obligation to provide unemployment allowance in case of failure to provide employment. The Act provides for payment of wages weekly or within fifteen days of completion of work. (as per Section 5(3)). In case of delay in payment of wages beyond the stipulated time, delay compensation shall be provided, which will strengthen wage security and protect the workers from delay. The cost-sharing is 60:40 between the Centre and the States, 90:10 for North-Eastern and Himalayan States and 100% Central Funding for Union Territories without a Legislature. Technology under the Act is intended as an enabling tool, not a hindrance. Sections 23 and 24 provide for technology-enabled sanitation through biometric authentication, geo-tagging and real-time dashboards. Section 20 strengthens social audit through Gram Sabhas, which ensures sanitation and inclusion.
