The launch of the Viksit Bharat – Rozgar and Ajeevika (Gramin) Mission Guarantee Act 2025 (VB-G RAM G), which is set to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) from July 1, is facing issues like backlog of unfinished business and opposition from state governments.
The new law was scheduled to be launched on April 1, but was postponed because the portal and technical infrastructure were not ready. State and district administrations have now been given time till June 30 to complete all pending MGNREGA work. The law promises 125 days of legal wage work for rural families. So far, 19 states have officially notified about the scheme.
For example, in Rajasthan’s Dungarpur district alone, 5,735 MGNREGA works – excluding PM Awas Yojana and farm works – remain virtually incomplete. Every building in the district has a backlog of works – Saguara at 821 pending works, Duvda at 683, Dungarpur at 592, Chikhli at 590, Jaliyakot at 573, Sabla at 544, Seemalwara at 532 and Pechiwara at 522. Thirty-eight works were pending immediately.
However, Mahesh Ojha, Executive Engineer, MGNREGA, Dungarpur, said, “The pending works will be completed by June 30 and the new categories will continue under VB-G RAM G. The district data indicates otherwise.”
Local development ministry officials have admitted that ponds, lakes, grazing land, rural roads and community buildings have remained incomplete throughout the panchayat for years.
Alleging that several states have raised concerns over the law, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said the only safeguard offered by the new law is “extreme centralization” and “weakening of the bargaining power of rural workers”.
