New Delhi, May 11: The Centre has notified the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, which will come into force nationwide from July 1, 2026, providing a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment to rural households.
Under the new framework, any rural household with adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work will be entitled to employment within a stipulated timeframe. In case of failure to provide work, beneficiaries will be eligible for an unemployment allowance as per provisions of the Act.
Wages will be credited through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into bank or post office accounts, either weekly or within 15 days of muster roll closure. Delays in payment will attract compensation.
The government has allocated ₹95,692.31 crore for FY 2026–27 — the highest-ever budget estimate for a rural employment programme. Including state contributions, the total outlay is expected to exceed ₹1.51 lakh crore.
The scheme aims to strengthen livelihood security, boost rural incomes, and accelerate village-level infrastructure development.
The new law will replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, with ongoing projects continuing seamlessly until the transition date.
