New Delhi: The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G, has generated more than 31.69 crore person-days of employment in the financial year 2026-27, according to a government backgrounder.
Aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, came into force on July 1, 2026, replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The framework provides a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment per financial year to eligible rural households whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work.
According to the government, the transition to the new framework has been seamless, with digital systems operational from the commencement of implementation.
More Than 2.23 Crore Rural Households Receive Employment
As of September 24, 2026, the programme had 10.88 crore active workers, while more than 2.81 crore workers belonging to approximately 2.23 crore rural households had received employment on demand.
Women accounted for 61.65 per cent of participation during the current financial year.
The government reported that 2.83 lakh assets had been created, with 97.17 lakh works under execution. Around 20.16 lakh worksites were operational, and nearly 2.31 lakh Gram Panchayats were implementing works across the country.
Additionally, 73.24 lakh approved works were available to meet future employment demand, while 15.17 crore Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards had been issued.
The daily wage rate under the framework ranges from Rs. 300 to Rs. 450, depending on the applicable rate.
Rs. 93,841 Crore Allocated for 2026-27
A total of Rs. 93,841 crore has been allocated to States and Union Territories as an interim allocation for the financial year 2026-27.
Of this amount, a first instalment of Rs. 25,880 crore has been issued as a mother sanction to States and Union Territories.
The programme also recorded 3.76 crore Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) transactions during 2026-27 as of the reported date, supporting digital payments under the framework.
Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans to Drive Rural Development
Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans (VGPPs) are a key component of the framework, aimed at making rural development planning participatory, evidence-based and responsive to local needs.
Prepared with the participation of Gram Sabhas and Gram Panchayats, the plans help villages identify existing assets, assess infrastructure gaps and prioritise development works.
The planning process includes an inventory of assets created under various Central and State Government schemes. Geographic Information System (GIS) tools and digital platforms, including Yuktdhara and PM Gati Shakti, support integrated planning and the identification of development gaps.
The plans are consolidated at the Block, District, State and National levels, contributing to the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack.
The VGPP framework identifies 318 types of permissible works across four thematic areas: water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-related infrastructure and mitigation of extreme weather events.
The government said the approach seeks to bring together resources and interventions from different departments and schemes to avoid duplication and promote coordinated village development.
Digital Systems to Strengthen Transparency
Technology is central to the implementation of VB-G RAM G, supporting worker verification, attendance monitoring, payments and oversight of development works.
The framework uses e-KYC, face and biometric authentication, geo-tagging, digital measurements and electronic Measurement Books (e-MB) to strengthen monitoring and accountability.
Direct Benefit Transfer facilitates payments, while real-time dashboards, spatial technology and artificial intelligence-enabled analytics support monitoring, reporting and corrective action.
Dedicated digital platforms, citizen engagement mechanisms and capacity-building initiatives are also intended to strengthen implementation at the grassroots level.
Linking Employment with Asset Creation
The VB-G RAM G framework seeks to link wage employment with the creation of durable rural assets and improved infrastructure. Through participatory planning, technology-enabled monitoring and convergence among government schemes, the programme aims to address local development needs while supporting rural livelihoods.
[DD news]