Comparative Study of the MGNREG Act, 2005 and the Viksit Bharat – G RAM G (Gramin) Act, 2025

Abstract This paper presents a comparative analysis of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA) and the newly enacted Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (VB-G RAM G Act). While MGNREGA established a landmark, rights-based legal guarantee of at least 100 days of wage employment annually for rural households willing to do unskilled manual labour, the VB-G RAM G Act expands this framework by legally guaranteeing 125 days of wage employment in a financial year and embedding employment generation within a broader rural development vision aligned with Viksit Bharat @2047. The 2025 Act replaces MGNREGA with a revised statutory framework that emphasizes convergence of rural development schemes, creation of durable public assets, and enhanced decentralized planning mechanisms. Key differences include the shift from a universal, demand-driven entitlement under MGNREGA to a more structured, planned, and fiscally normative allocation under VB-G RAM G, along with revised funding patterns and seasonal employment flexibilities. This comparative study evaluates the objectives, institutional structures, implementation strategies, and socio-economic implications of both Acts, shedding light on the evolution of rural employment policy in India and its potential impacts on livelihood security and rural growth.