The Indian government has introduced and passed a new rural employment law — the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, popularly known as the VB-G RAM G Bill — which formally replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) after nearly two decades. The new legislation aims to reshape the country’s rural livelihood framework under the broader Viksit Bharat 2047vision, with an expanded employment guarantee and a redesigned implementation structure.

Under the previous law, rural households were legally entitled to 100 days of unskilled manual work every year, backed by a demand-driven, rights-based guarantee. The VB-G RAM G Bill raises this entitlement to 125 days per householdand introduces a framework that links wage employment to the creation of durable rural assets and broader livelihood activities. It also reshapes financial responsibilities, moving from a fully centrally funded scheme to a cost-sharing modelbetween the Centre and states, and introduces normative budget allocations and planning processes.

Proponents argue the change modernises rural employment policy and integrates economic security with infrastructure creation and natural-resource management. Critics caution that the shift away from a statutory, demand-driven right could dilute legal guarantees, burden already cash-strapped state governments and undermine the original spirit of MGNREGA as a robust safety net for rural workers. The Bill was passed amid significant opposition protests, highlighting the deep national debate over the future of rural job guarantees in India.