Employment Guarantee

From higher rural wages and cheaper commercial LPG to new RBI rules, EV incentives, passport fees and tax deadlines, here are the key changes taking effect from July 1

The Viksit Bharat -- Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 will come into force from July 1, with the Centre on Tuesday stating that all arrangements have been made for its implementation. The Ministry of Rural Development said the Act provides a statutory guarantee of up to 125 days of wage employment to eligible rural households, compared to the 100 days provided under the existing rural employment framework. The ministry said an interim allocation of Rs 95,692.31 crore has been made to states and Union Territories to ensure a smooth transition, timely wage payments and uninterrupted implementation of works under the new framework. Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the government's priority was to ensure that "no eligible rural worker remains without work even for a single day". He said the Centre and states had worked together to complete administrative, financial and technical preparations for the rollout. The government said ...

As MGNREGA comes to a close, both critics and supporters keenly eye VB G RAM G's performance

The Centre has deployed senior officials to oversee the nationwide rollout of VB G RAM G as it replaces MGNREGA from July 1

BSP chief Mayawati on Monday flayed the BJP government at the Centre over the issue of unemployment and asked it to display true patriotism by giving an employment guarantee to the people. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister charged that the development of crores of poor has been affected due to the "casteist, arrogant and non-inclusive governments headed earlier by the Congress and now the BJP" and asked the people to elect a party in Lok Sabha polls that is dedicated to public interest and welfare of the backward castes. In a series of posts on X, Mayawati said, "From New Year, the government should discharge true patriotism and 'Rajdharma' by ensuring only 'employment guarantee', because the rest of the government guarantees have proved to be more of deceitful politics of narrow nationalism." "If there is a modest per capita income in the country i.e. if there is no money in people's pockets to spend, then what is the use of blowing the trumpet of development. Also, how is a

Experts said an institutionalised system of social audits will clear lots of doubt

Earlier, state governments had the responsibility to define the minimum quantum of work required to earn a day's wages

Around 11% fewer households demanded work under the rural employment scheme MGNREGA in April. What led to this fall in demand for MGNREGA work? Find the answer here

Other features of an ideal scheme include adequate funding to boost Urban Local Bodies, minimum wages for workers, and exclusion of contractors from projects, among other things

This was mainly on account of migrants again returning to their homes due to the second wave of Covid-19 and several cities going into lockdowns

Wants state to increase capex by Rs 10,000 cr, set up fund to support construction labour

Livelihoods of a large section of people in urban areas have been affected due to the pandemic, the Rajasthan CM said in a letter to Hardeep Singh Puri

Left with no option, some teachers are now forced to take up agricultural works in villages

A major stated objective of the eFMS was to reduce delays in wage payments