VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 comes into force; MGNREGA, 2005 stands repealed
The Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 came into force across all rural areas of India on 1 July 2026, repealing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 from the same date.
Summary
The Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB-G RAM G] Act, 2025 came into force across all rural areas of India on 1 July 2026, the date notified by S.O. 2382(E) of 11 May 2026. With its commencement the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, which the new law replaces, stands repealed from the same date, and eligible rural households get a statutory entitlement to 125 days of wage employment. Revised wage rates notified the same day ensure no notified daily wage is below Rs 300; the national average rose from Rs 298.8 to Rs 327.4 a day, and the Centre has released an interim allocation of Rs 95,692.31 crore. The Act lets States notify a pause period of up to sixty days a year during peak farm seasons (Section 6), groups works into four thematic areas, and fixes the unemployment allowance at not less than one-fourth of the wage for the first thirty days and not less than one-half thereafter.
Key facts
- In force
- 1 July 2026, all rural areas (S.O. 2382(E), 11 May 2026)
- Repealed
- MGNREGA, 2005, from 1 July 2026
- Guarantee
- 125 days of wage employment per rural household per financial year
- Wages
- No notified daily wage below Rs 300; national average Rs 298.8 to Rs 327.4
- Interim allocation
- Rs 95,692.31 crore released to States/UTs
- Pause period
- Up to 60 days a year in peak farm seasons (Section 6)
- Works
- Water security; core rural infrastructure; livelihood infrastructure; extreme-weather mitigation
- Unemployment allowance
- At least 1/4 of wage for first 30 days, at least 1/2 thereafter
Practice MCQs 5 questions
After the revised wage rates under the VB-G RAM G Act were notified on 1 July 2026, the national average notified wage became:
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Correct answer: A — Rs 327.4 per day
The national average notified wage rose from Rs 298.8 to Rs 327.4 per day, an increase of more than 10 per cent.
Under the revised VB-G RAM G wage rates notified on 1 July 2026, no notified daily wage anywhere in India is below:
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Correct answer: C — Rs 300
With the revised rates, no notified daily wage anywhere in the country is below Rs 300.
With the commencement of the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 on 1 July 2026, which law stands repealed from the same date?
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Correct answer: D — Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005
Per PIB's press note of 11 May 2026, MGNREGA, 2005 stands repealed from 1 July 2026, the date the VB-G RAM G Act comes into force; the new Act replaces it.
Under Section 6 of the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, States may notify a pause period during peak sowing and harvesting seasons aggregating to:
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Correct answer: B — Sixty days in a financial year
The Act empowers States to notify an aggregated pause period of sixty days in a financial year (Section 6); the 125-day guarantee is provided in the remaining period.
Under the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, the unemployment allowance payable when work is not provided in time is:
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Correct answer: C — Not less than one-fourth of the wage rate for the first thirty days and not less than one-half for the rest of the year
The allowance is not less than one-fourth of the notified wage rate for the first thirty days of the financial year and not less than one-half for the remaining period.