The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, takes effect July 1 after the central government issued updated daily wage rates for the revised rural jobs program on Tuesday. The measure replaces the earlier MGNREGA framework and assures 125 days of unskilled manual work each year to qualifying rural households.
The notification sets the new national average wage at ₹327.4 per day, up from ₹298.8 under the previous scheme, for an average rise of ₹28.6. The Ministry of Rural Development stated that rates have been raised in all 34 states, Union Territories and wage regions. A fresh interim base rate of ₹300 daily has been fixed so that no notified wage falls below this floor. Officials noted the nationwide average increase exceeds 10 percent.
The Act raises the statutory guarantee from 100 to 125 days of wage employment. Twenty-one states and administrative units now receive the ₹300 base rate, while Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Assam record gains between 15 and 25 percent. Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland see the largest percentage rise at nearly 24.5 percent. States that previously had lower wages receive the largest absolute increases, though higher-wage areas such as Haryana at ₹409, Goa at ₹406, Kerala at ₹401 and high-altitude gram panchayats in Sikkim at ₹450 also receive upward adjustments.
An interim allocation of ₹95,692.31 crore has been provided to states and Union Territories to support the transition and maintain timely payments. Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the priority is to ensure no eligible worker goes without employment for even one day. Existing e-KYC-verified job cards remain valid until new Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards are issued. Gram panchayats will continue implementation, focusing on natural resource management, water conservation, agriculture, rural infrastructure and women’s empowerment.
Twenty-nine states and Union Territories have made budget provisions, and 24 have notified their state schemes. The national launch is scheduled for July 2 at Mukkavaripalli village in Obulavaripalle mandal, Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh.
