Chandigarh, January 18, 2026: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday said the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) has emerged as a decisive step towards improving the living standards of rural labourers, describing it as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance of dignity, security and stable livelihood for every worker in the country.
Addressing labourers at the state-level conference of VB-G RAM G at the Indradhanush Auditorium in Panchkula, Saini said the vision of transforming India into a developed nation by 2047 cannot be realised without empowering villages and strengthening the economic condition of labourers. He stressed that rural development remains central to national progress and that labourers are the backbone of this journey.
Calling the mission more than an employment scheme, the Chief Minister said it represents a comprehensive framework to ensure the right to work with self-respect, timely wages and social security. He asserted that the programme safeguards labour dignity while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities across rural India.
Explaining the rationale behind the new law, Saini said the Viksit Bharat – G RAM G Act, 2025 was introduced after addressing long-standing shortcomings of MNREGA. He clarified that the new legislation is not a rebranding exercise but a structural overhaul of the rural employment system aimed at transparency and accountability.
Under the Act, the guaranteed employment period has been increased from 100 to 125 days. States have also been authorised to pause work for up to 60 days during sowing and harvesting seasons, with labourers receiving additional employment beyond the guaranteed period. According to the Chief Minister, this move is expected to raise the annual income of an average rural unskilled worker by over ₹7,000 nationwide, while workers in Haryana stand to gain at least ₹10,000 annually.
He said Haryana, which offers the highest minimum wage in the country at ₹400 per day, would enable rural labourers to earn a minimum annual income of around ₹50,000 under the scheme. Saini also announced that wage payments will now be made weekly instead of the earlier 15-day cycle, ensuring faster disbursement and curbing irregularities such as fake workers and fraudulent payments.
Highlighting the expanded scope of work under the new law, the Chief Minister said it would generate more employment while accelerating development activities in villages. He contrasted this with MNREGA’s past implementation, alleging that mechanisation, delayed payments and contractor dominance had diluted the scheme’s original intent.
Referring to audit findings, Saini said CAG reports and social audits had repeatedly exposed fake job cards, corruption and misuse of funds under MNREGA. He claimed that the BJP government in Haryana paid over ₹5,000 crore to labourers between October 2014 and October 2025, compared to less than ₹2,000 crore during a decade of Congress rule, reflecting improved transparency and coverage.
The Chief Minister also accused the Congress of misleading people over the G RAM G scheme, alleging that the party had earlier allowed MNREGA to benefit a select few instead of genuine workers. He further criticised the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab for opposing the scheme on political grounds despite reported irregularities in wage payments under MNREGA in the state.
Earlier, beneficiaries from various districts shared their experiences and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini for extending guaranteed employment to 125 days and ensuring wage payments within seven days. They welcomed measures such as biometric authentication and geo-tagging, calling them effective tools for enhancing transparency.
Development and Panchayats Minister Krishan Lal Panwar said that India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047 depends on empowering youth, farmers, women and the poor, adding that labourers play an indispensable role in nation-building.
Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and Commissioner and Secretary, Development and Panchayats Department, Dr Saket Kumar, said the G RAM G scheme would ensure employment generation while maintaining transparency at every stage of implementation. Several MPs, senior officials and party leaders were present at the event.
