Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday engaged directly with rural residents workers and labourers during a special Gram Sabha held at Loni Budruk village in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra outlining the key provisions and transformative impact of the Viksit Bharat G Ram G Act 2025.
The interaction was organised as part of a nationwide outreach to explain the new rural employment framework and was streamed live across the country. More than six million people including farmers self help group members rural workers and community representatives joined the programme from over one hundred thousand locations highlighting widespread public interest in the reforms.
Addressing sarpanchs Gram Panchayat members and villagers the Union Minister said the new Act provides a stronger legal foundation for rural employment by guaranteeing 125 days of work instead of the earlier 100 days. He explained that the legislation builds upon and strengthens the existing rural employment programme by introducing sharper accountability enhanced monitoring and clearly defined worker entitlements.
A major reform under the Act is the mandatory timeline for wage payments. The Minister said wages must now be credited within one week of completion of work. In cases where payment is delayed beyond fifteen days workers will be entitled to an additional 0.05 percent of their wages as interest. He stressed that unlike earlier provisions delays will now attract consequences ensuring accountability at every level.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasised that the Gram Sabha has been empowered as the final decision making authority for village level works. Under the Act any village specific task can be undertaken but only with the approval of the Gram Sabha ensuring that projects reflect genuine local needs. He said this approach restores the central role of village institutions in planning and execution and ensures alignment with priorities such as water conservation infrastructure creation livelihood generation and disaster mitigation.
The Minister underlined the importance of inclusive participation stating that one third or thirty three percent of all work under the scheme has been reserved for women. This provision he said guarantees economic opportunities for women and strengthens their role in rural development.
To address labour requirements during peak agricultural periods state governments have been empowered to issue notifications allowing workers to be deployed for agricultural activities for up to sixty days during sowing and harvesting seasons. This measure aims to prevent labour shortages for farmers while providing additional employment opportunities.
Another key change highlighted was the increase in administrative expenditure from six percent to nine percent. The enhanced allocation is intended to prevent disruptions in salary payments and ensure uninterrupted functioning of employment assistants at the grassroots level. The Minister assured that necessary coordination with state governments would be undertaken to implement this provision effectively.
Reiterating the centrality of rural development to national progress Shivraj Singh Chouhan said India’s growth is inseparable from the prosperity of its villages. He recalled the vision of Mahatma Gandhi that the soul of India lives in its villages and asserted that the new Act reflects that philosophy by placing people village institutions and timely service delivery at its core.
The Gram Sabha interaction marked a significant step in communicating the scope and intent of the Viksit Bharat G Ram G Act 2025 and reinforcing the government’s commitment to strengthening rural livelihoods through transparency accountability and community participation.
