Arunachal Leaders Welcome Revised Vikshit Bharat Rural Jobs Bill, Call It Boost for Border Villages

Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and Arunachal East MP Tapir Gao on Wednesday welcomed the NDA government’s revised Vikshit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G-RAM-G) Bill, describing it as a major step towards strengthening rural livelihoods and grassroots development.

Addressing a press conference at the State BJP headquarters here, the leaders said the revised bill would significantly enhance rural employment, self-livelihood opportunities and overall development, particularly in remote and border villages of Arunachal Pradesh.

Deputy Chief Minister Mein dismissed the Opposition’s claims about any renaming of MGNREGA, and commended the Centre’s decision to introduce a revised Act focused on strengthening public welfare and service delivery.

He said the scheme is a visionary and transformative step towards the goal of Viksit Bharat, adding that every government periodically revises policies in keeping with changing needs. He noted that the updated framework incorporates advanced technologies, including AI-based systems, to improve planning, monitoring and implementation.

Mein, who also holds the Planning and Finance portfolios, expressed gratitude to the Central government for the favourable funding pattern under the VB-G-RAM-G Bill.

He highlighted that the scheme follows a 90:10 cost-sharing ratio — with 90 per cent borne by the Centre and only 10 per cent by the State — significantly reducing Arunachal Pradesh’s financial burden compared to the 60:40 ratio applicable to many other states.

Referring to financial support under the NDA government, Mein said that from 2014 to 2025-26, an allocation of approximately Rs 48 lakh crore has been provided under MGNREGA, benefiting nearly 25 crore rural beneficiaries across the country. In comparison, he said, allocations during the Congress-led government from 2006 to 2014 stood at around Rs 12.8 lakh crore.

The Deputy Chief Minister also alleged that during the Congress regime, the scheme was marred by complaints of irregularities, leading to the deployment of monitoring teams in states such as West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Punjab. However, he claimed that the lack of effective corrective measures resulted in persistent deficiencies, ultimately leading to the closure of the scheme in West Bengal.

Under the revised VB-G-RAM-G framework, Mein said the unemployment allowance will be strengthened and accountability ensured through robust monitoring mechanisms. To facilitate timely payment of wages, the permissible administrative expenditure has been increased from 6 per cent to 9 per cent.

He added that the scheme will be integrated with PM Gati Shakti and advanced digital technologies for better planning and execution of works. Emphasis will be placed on the creation of durable assets, while biometric authentication and digital monitoring systems will be introduced to prevent duplication and enhance transparency.

MP Tapir Gao said that during parliamentary discussions, the union Agriculture Minister had clarified misconceptions raised by Opposition members about the VB-G-RAM-G framework. He explained that the confusion arose from an incorrect assumption that the nomenclature was linked to the name of a deity, whereas VB-G-RAM-G is purely an acronym for Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin).

Gao said the clarification had resolved concerns raised in Parliament and expressed hope that the Arunachal Pradesh Congress and other stakeholders would acknowledge the facts and cooperate constructively in the interest of rural development.

The press conference was also attended by state BJP president Kaling Moyong, Minister for Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Ojing Tasing, and former minister and Chairman, Science & Technology, Tage Taki, among others.