Punjab Newsline,Haryana :
Addressing the state-level conference in Panchkula, CM Nayab Singh Saini says 125 days of employment and weekly wage payments will increase workers’ income
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini said that the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) is a strong foundation for improving the living standards of hardworking labourers. He stated that this scheme is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantee to every worker, ensuring the right to employment with dignity, timely wages, social respect, and a secure livelihood.
The CM was addressing labourers at the state-level conference of VB-G RAM G held at the Indradhanush Auditorium in Panchkula. On the occasion, Development and Panchayats Minister Krishan Lal Panwar and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Krishna Bedi, along with several other dignitaries, were present.
The CM said that the goal of making India a developed nation by 2047 cannot be achieved without the development of villages and labourers. He emphasized that the road to a developed India passes through its villages. The VB-G RAM G scheme is not merely an employment programme but an initiative aimed at uplifting the lives of labourers, ensuring dignity of labour, and protecting their self-respect.
He said that keeping in view the shortcomings of MNREGA, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has presented the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, which is being referred to as the Viksit Bharat – G RAM G Act. This is not just a renaming of MNREGA, but a comprehensive modernization of the rural employment system.
The CM stated that under the new law, the statutory employment guarantee has been increased from 100 days to 125 days. Additionally, states have been empowered to suspend work for up to 60 days during sowing and harvesting seasons, with workers receiving separate employment for these 60 days in addition to the guaranteed 125 days. As a result, the annual income of rural unskilled workers is expected to rise significantly. In Haryana, each worker will receive an additional benefit of at least Rs 10,000. With the state offering a minimum wage of Rs 400 per day, the annual income of workers can reach up to Rs 50,000.
The CM further said that under the VB-G RAM G scheme, wage payments will now be made on a weekly basis instead of the earlier 15-day cycle, ensuring timely payments. These measures will help eliminate fake workers, fake work, and fake payments. The scope of work under the scheme has also been expanded, which will create more employment opportunities and accelerate development activities in villages.
He said that when MNREGA was launched, circumstances were different, but over time several shortcomings emerged, including corruption, fake job cards, delayed wage payments, and the replacement of manual labour with machines. CAG reports and social audits have repeatedly revealed that while genuine workers continued to toil, others misappropriated the benefits meant for them.
Comparing the two regimes, the CM said that more than Rs 5,000 crore has been paid to workers in Haryana between 2014 and 2025 under the present BJP government, whereas less than Rs 2,000 crore was paid during the ten-year Congress rule. This, he said, reflects the current government’s commitment to transparency, employment generation, and the dignity of labour.
Launching a sharp attack on the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, the CM alleged that both parties were misleading workers for political gains. He said that VB-G RAM G has been implemented to protect workers’ rights and dignity, ensuring that no one can siphon off their hard-earned wages.
Earlier, the CM interacted with beneficiaries from various districts, who expressed satisfaction over the provision of 125 days of employment and wage payments within seven days. The beneficiaries described the scheme as a historic step towards improving income, transparency, and accountability through biometric authentication and geo-tagging.