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IndiAgri Bureau
Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh: The government of India on Wednesday launched the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G Ram G, a revamped rural employment programme that promises 125 days of guaranteed work, replacing the existing 100-day framework under MGNREGA.
The nationwide rollout was launched from Mukkavaripalli village in Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati district by Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and other dignitaries.
Addressing the gathering, Chouhan said the new scheme expands the employment guarantee from 100 days to 125 days and aims to provide work to rural labourers within 15 days of demand. If employment is not provided within the stipulated period, workers will be entitled to unemployment allowance under the legal provisions of the scheme.
The minister also announced that delayed wage payments would attract interest compensation, ensuring workers receive timely payments.
The Centre has earmarked a first-year outlay of around Rs 1.51 lakh crore, including the Centre's contribution of over Rs 95,000 crore and the states' share.
According to the Rural Development Ministry, the government aims to invest Rs 7.5 lakh crore over the next five years, benefiting 2.86 lakh gram panchayats across the country. On average, each panchayat is expected to receive more than Rs 2 crore annually for rural infrastructure and livelihood projects.
Unlike centrally decided project lists, the scheme gives Gram Sabhas the authority to identify and prioritise local works.
Projects may include village roads, irrigation structures, ponds, check dams, Anganwadi centres, schools, hospitals, Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) infrastructure and disaster mitigation works, depending on local needs.
The government has also increased the administrative expenditure limit from 6% to 9%, providing additional resources for Gram Rozgar Sahayaks, mates and other field-level staff.
Chouhan announced that the minimum wage under the scheme will now be Rs 300 per day across the country.
In Andhra Pradesh, workers will receive Rs 312 to Rs 315 per day, depending on local wage rates.
The Union minister announced a special allocation of Rs 7,707 crore for Andhra Pradesh under the scheme for the next nine months.
He said the funding, along with the state's contribution, is expected to accelerate rural infrastructure creation and employment generation.
The Centre also announced fresh approvals for key rural development projects in Andhra Pradesh.
These include:
Approval letters were handed over to the Andhra Pradesh government during the programme.
Chouhan also announced relief measures for Totapuri mango farmers facing falling market prices.
The Centre will procure Totapuri mangoes under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) to support prices and reduce farmers' losses. He also said scientific teams would work with the state government to improve mango varieties and productivity.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu described the new programme as a major boost to rural livelihoods and said Andhra Pradesh plans to develop Rayalaseema into a horticulture hub.
He outlined plans to mobilise nearly Rs 1 lakh crore through public and private investments for irrigation, roads, warehouses and horticulture infrastructure.
Naidu also said digital monitoring, Aadhaar-based payments, geo-tagging and real-time tracking would improve transparency and reduce leakages in implementation.
Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said the Centre's support has strengthened Andhra Pradesh's rural development initiatives. He noted that the state has received approvals worth Rs 12,845 crore for rural development projects and has improved its performance under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).
The launch programme also included plantation activities, demonstrations of water conservation structures and an exhibition showcasing Andhra Pradesh's rural development initiatives.
