125 Days of Work Guaranteed Under Viksit Bharat G RAM G Bill
New Delhi: Parliament has approved the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): Viksit Bharat – G RAM G Bill, 2025, with the Rajya Sabha passing the legislation late last night. The Lok Sabha had cleared the Bill earlier in the day, paving the way for a revamped statutory framework for rural employment aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
The Bill provides a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment per financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work—raising the assured workdays from the earlier 100.
Under the proposed funding structure, the Centre and States will share costs in a 60:40 ratio for most states, while North-Eastern and Himalayan states will receive a more favourable 90:10 sharing pattern. State governments will continue to bear responsibility for unemployment allowance and compensation.
Viksit Bharat- G RAM G Bill 2025: Reforming MGNREGA for Viksit Bharat
Rural employment has been a cornerstone of India’s social protection framework for nearly two decades. Since its enactment in 2005, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) played a… pic.twitter.com/tyso3uRj5B
— PIB India (@PIB_India) December 18, 2025
Replying to the debate in the Upper House, Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the government’s guiding principle is Nation First, asserting that India’s development is inseparable from the progress of its villages. He underlined sustained efforts to serve deprived and marginalised sections.
The Bill, however, drew sharp criticism from Opposition members. Congress MP Mukul Wasnik, who initiated the discussion, opposed the legislation, warning it could adversely affect crores of people and called for collective efforts to uplift the poor. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge urged that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee, a demand echoed by several parties.
RJD’s Manoj Kumar Jha alleged inadequate consultation and criticised the 60:40 funding model, while TMC MP Ritabrata Banerjee questioned the absence of wider consultations with states and stakeholders. YSRCP’s S. Niranjan Reddy and BJD’s Subhasish Khuntia also favoured deeper scrutiny, with Khuntia cautioning that the funding pattern could burden poorer states.
From the treasury benches, BJP MP Indu Bala Goswami said nearly 70 per cent of India’s population lives in villages and the Bill is aimed at improving their quality of life and advancing the Viksit Bharat goal. AIADMK MP Dr M. Thambidurai termed rural employment a matter of livelihood, security and social stability, describing the increase to 125 guaranteed workdays as the Bill’s most significant and welcome feature. BJP MP Aditya Prasad said rural communities are enthusiastic about the enhanced employment guarantee.
Members including Ramji Lal Suman (SP), Randeep Surjewala (Congress), Dola Sen (TMC), Sulata Deo (BJD), Dr V. Sivadasan (CPI-M) and Digvijay Singh (Congress) also participated in the debate.
Following the passage of the Bill, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned to reconvene at 11 am today.
