The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, comes into force on Wednesday, with the Centre notifying revised wage rates under the new rural employment guarantee scheme, the Ministry of Rural Development said.
Wages Up Across All States
The national average wage has risen from Rs 298.8 per day under MGNREGA to Rs 327.4 per day under VB-G RAM G, an increase of Rs 28.6 per day.
The ministry said revised wage rates, effective from July 1, have been increased across all 34 states, Union Territories and wage regions, with the average rise pegged at over 10% nationally. A new interim base wage rate of Rs 300 per day has also been introduced, ensuring no notified wage falls below that level, with 21 states and administrative units brought up to this floor.
125 Days Of Guaranteed Work
The Act provides a statutory guarantee of up to 125 days of wage employment to eligible rural households, up from 100 days under the existing framework.
States including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Assam will see wage hikes of 15 to 25%, with Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland recording the steepest rise at nearly 24.5%. Among states with higher existing rates, Haryana will have a notified wage of Rs 409, Goa Rs 406, Kerala Rs 401, while Sikkim's high-altitude gram panchayats will get Rs 450 per day.
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Rs 95,692 Crore Allocated
The ministry said an interim allocation of Rs 95,692.31 crore has been made to states and Union Territories to ensure timely wage payments and smooth implementation.
Existing e-KYC-verified job cards will remain valid until new Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards are issued, with gram panchayats continuing to oversee works related to water conservation, rural infrastructure and women's empowerment.
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Minister Cites 'Historic Step'
Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the government's priority was to ensure "no eligible rural worker remains without work even for a single day," calling the Act's commencement "a historic step towards building a Viksit Bharat through prosperous villages," PTI reported.
The national launch will be held on July 2 at Mukkavaripalli village in Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati district.
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