centre–state relations

MGNREGA TO VB-G RAM G : A PARADIGM SHIFT IN INDIA'S RURAL EMPLOYMENT POLICY

The replacement of MGNREGA with the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) marks a major shift in India’s rural employment policy. While MGNREGA functioned as a universal, demand-driven and rights-based employment guarantee that supported vulnerable rural households, the new framework emphasises fiscal discipline, centralised planning and productivity-linked employment. The transition reflects the government’s intent to reform rural welfare delivery, but it also raises concerns about dilution of the right to work, increased burden on states, and potential exclusion of marginalised communities.