♦ Parliament has passed the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): Viksit Bharat – G RAM G Bill, 2025, with the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha approving it on 18 December 2025. 

♦ The Bill seeks to establish a rural development framework aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Under the legislation, a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment will be provided in every financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to undertake unskilled manual work.

♦ The fund-sharing pattern between the Central and State governments will be 60:40 for all states, except the North-Eastern and Himalayan states, where the sharing arrangement will be 90:10. The State governments will continue to pay unemployment allowance and compensation.

♦ Since its enactment in 2005, MGNREGA has provided a legal guarantee of 100 days of wage employment to rural households, helping stabilise incomes, especially during economic stress. Over the years, the programme expanded digital payments, Aadhaar-based systems and geo-tagging of assets, while women’s participation rose steadily.