In a U-turn, Punjab govt notifies VB-G RAM G scheme
AAP govt had earlier termed it ‘anti-labour’; scheme to take effect from July 1, providing 125 days of guaranteed wage employment in rural areas
The Punjab government has notified the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB-G RAM G] Scheme, Punjab 2026, months after the State Assembly unanimously opposed the legislation.
With the latest notification, the Centre’s new rural employment law will come into force in the state from July 1.
According to a gazette notification issued by the department of rural development and panchayats, the scheme has been notified under the provisions of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025.
The notification states that the scheme aims to align Punjab’s rural development framework with the national vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 by providing an enhanced statutory wage employment guarantee of 125 days in every financial year to rural households whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work.
As per the gazette notification, the VB-G RAM G Scheme, Punjab, will come into effect from July 1 and will apply to all notified rural areas across the state.
The scheme has been notified by the Governor of Punjab under Section 3(1) of the Central Act.
The scheme focuses on employment generation, growth, convergence and saturation while extending the annual employment guarantee from 100 days under MGNREGA to 125 days.
The notification marks a significant policy shift by the AAP-led Punjab government, which had strongly opposed the Centre’s decision to replace MGNREGA with the VB-G RAM G framework.
In December 2025, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha had unanimously passed a resolution demanding the withdrawal of the new law and restoration of MGNREGA in its original rights-based form.
The State Assembly had urged the Centre to immediately withdraw the Act and restore guaranteed work and wages for labourers under MGNREGA.
The state government had termed the proposed law “anti-labour” and alleged that replacing MGNREGA would adversely affect Dalit labourers, rural workers and economically weaker families, dependent on the employment guarantee programme.
