Union Minister for Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, declared the launch of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission – Gramin (VB-G RAM G) scheme in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. This initiative aims to allocate Rs 7.5 lakh crore over five years for rural development. Under this scheme, more than 5 lakh individuals were employed on the first day across 50,000 locations nationwide.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan highlighted the swift implementation of the scheme, contrasting it with the previous government’s approach. He emphasized that the NDA government has allocated significant funds for employment generation, with Rs 8.63 lakh crore spent over ten years and an additional Rs 7.5 lakh crore earmarked for the next five years. The scheme guarantees 125 days of employment with a minimum wage of Rs 300 for laborers.
The minister underscored the historical evolution of rural employment schemes in India, tracing back to the ‘Total Rural Employment Scheme’ during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure, which later transformed into MGNREGA and now VB – G RAM G. He distributed ‘VB G-RAM-G’ cards to beneficiary workers and inaugurated the scheme nationally by initiating a farm pond construction.
