In the soul of Bharat, where farmers and labourers toil to sustain our nation’s growth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (VBG RAM G Act), a visionary upgrade to MGNREGA that amplifies rural resilience.

This Act, enacted recently, guarantees 125 days of employment, a 25 percent hike from the original 100 days, ensuring higher incomes, legal work rights, and mandatory unemployment allowances. It’s a testament to Modi’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat,’ transforming rural India into a powerhouse of self-reliance and dignity. At its heart, the Act debunks myths with facts, strengthening rural development. It introduces Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans for hyper-local, advance-mapped work, with 99.94percent digital payments and Aadhaar-biometric verification to curb wage theft. Transparency surges through AI fraud detection, GPS monitoring, real-time dashboards, weekly disclosures, and biannual social audits eradicating corruption like the Rs 193.67 crore misappropriations in 2024-25.

Rural poverty has dropped from 25.7 per cent to 4.86 per cent under Modi’s watch, thanks to evolved policies addressing outdated models. For farmers, the annadatas of India, the Act is farmer-aligned: pausing works for 60 non-continuous days during peak seasons avoids labour shortages and wage inflation, stabilizing food prices. Prioritized assets like over 68,000 water bodies under Mission Amrit Sarovar enhance irrigation, groundwater, and multi-cropping, boosting market access via roads and storage. Farmers and labourers thrive in this balanced ecosystem—work that pays today and sustains tomorrow.

Modi’s commitment to rural upliftment is unparalleled. Through PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, over Rs 3 lakh crore has reached 11 crore farmers. Jal Jeevan Mission has delivered tap water to 14 crore households, while PM Gram Sadak Yojana connects villages with all-weather roads. SVAMITVA has issued 2.75 crore property cards, empowering landowners.

In 2025, schemes like PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (Rs 24,000 crore) and Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission further affirm agricultural self-sufficiency. The shared funding (60:40 Centre-State, 90:10 for North-East/hills) promotes accountability, not abdication. Gram Panchayats lead planning across water security, livelihoods, infrastructure, and climate adaptation, preserving rights without centralisation. As India marches towards Viksit Bharat 2047, Modi’s leadership turns rural challenges into triumphs. This Act is a clarion call for unity and prosperity. Jai Hind!

(The author is the AP State spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party)