President gives assent to VB—G RAM G Act, 2025; 125-day rural job guarantee to replace MGNREGA
The Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB—G RAM G) Bill, 2025 received the President's assent on 20 December 2025 and became Act No. 36 of 2025, replacing MGNREGA, 2005 with a guarantee of 125 days of wage employment.
Summary
The Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB—G RAM G) Act, 2025 received President Droupadi Murmu's assent on 20 December 2025 and was published in the Gazette on 21 December 2025 as Act No. 36 of 2025. The VB—G RAM G Act guarantees not less than 125 days of wage employment per rural household in each financial year, up from 100 days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, which stands repealed from a date to be notified by the Centre. The Act lets States notify a pause of up to sixty days in aggregate during peak sowing and harvesting seasons, mandates weekly wage payment (or within fifteen days), sets Centre–State cost sharing at 60:40 (90:10 for North Eastern and Himalayan States, 100% central for UTs without legislatures), and raises the administrative expenditure ceiling from 6% to 9%. Under paragraph 20 of Schedule I of the VB—G RAM G Act, the cost of the material component of works shall not exceed 40% at the district level.
Key facts
- Assent
- 20 December 2025; Gazette 21 December 2025; Act No. 36 of 2025
- Guarantee
- Not less than 125 days per rural household per year (MGNREGA: 100)
- Replaces
- MGNREGA, 2005, repealed from a date notified by the Centre
- Agricultural pause
- States may notify up to 60 days in aggregate
- Cost sharing
- 60:40; 90:10 for NE and Himalayan States; 100% for UTs without legislature
- Planning
- Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans approved by Gram Sabha; linked to PM Gati Shakti
Practice MCQs 4 questions
How many days of wage employment per rural household per financial year does the VB—G RAM G Act, 2025 guarantee?
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Correct answer: B — 125
PIB 2207187 and the Act's Section 5(1): not less than 125 days, up from the earlier 100-day entitlement under MGNREGA.
Which law does the VB—G RAM G Act, 2025, which received Presidential assent in December 2025, replace?
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Correct answer: D — Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005
PIB 2207187: the Act replaces MGNREGA, 2005. The Gazette text says MGNREGA stands repealed from an appointed date notified by the Centre.
Consider the following statements about the VB—G RAM G Act, 2025: 1. Centre–State cost sharing is 60:40, and 90:10 for North Eastern and Himalayan States. 2. States may notify a pause aggregating to sixty days in a financial year during peak sowing and harvesting seasons. 3. The ceiling on administrative expenditure has been reduced from 9% to 6%. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 and 2 only
PIB 2207187: cost sharing is 60:40 (90:10 for NE and Himalayan States) and States may notify a 60-day aggregate pause. The administrative ceiling was raised from 6% to 9%, so statement 3 is wrong.
Consider the following statements about the Gazette text of the VB—G RAM G Act, 2025: 1. It is Act No. 36 of 2025. 2. MGNREGA, 2005 stood repealed on the date of the President's assent. 3. The cost of the material component of works shall not exceed 40% at the district level. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — 1 and 3 only
Gazette (PRS copy): Act No. 36 of 2025, and the material component is capped at 40% at district level. MGNREGA stands repealed from an appointed date notified by the Centre, not on the date of assent, so statement 2 is wrong.