Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has described the “Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) Act (VB-GRAMG Act)” as a historic initiative towards the holistic development of villages. He said the Act is not a modified version of MGNREGA, but a comprehensive restructuring of India’s rural employment policy, aimed at making villages self-reliant, empowered and secure.
125 Days of Guaranteed Employment for Rural Families
Addressing the media at the Secretariat Media Centre on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said that under the new central legislation, rural households will be legally entitled to 125 days of employment, compared to the existing 100 days. He added that if employment is not provided within 15 days, payment of unemployment allowance will be mandatory, with accountability fixed on the concerned officials.
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Weekly Payments and Compensation for Delays
The Chief Minister further stated that wages under the scheme will be paid on a weekly basis, and compensation will be provided in case of delayed payments, ensuring that workers receive timely remuneration.
Gram Sabha and Panchayats Given Central Role
Emphasizing decentralised planning, CM Dhami said the Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayats have been assigned a central role in the implementation of the scheme. The Gram Sabha will select development works, and at least 50 percent of projects will be executed at the Panchayat level.
The works under the scheme will focus on water conservation, rural infrastructure, livelihood asset creation and disaster management.
Focus on Women Empowerment and Livelihood Creation
For women empowerment, skill centres, work sheds and rural markets will be developed for women associated with self-help groups (SHGs). The Chief Minister said this would strengthen income-generating opportunities for rural women.
90 Percent Central Funding for Uttarakhand
CM Dhami stated that Uttarakhand will receive 90 percent financial assistance from the Central Government under the Act, ensuring that the scheme does not place any additional financial burden on the state.
Technology-Driven Transparency and Anti-Corruption Measures
Highlighting the focus on transparency, the Chief Minister said the scheme will incorporate biometric attendance, location-based identification, GIS mapping, mobile applications, public information boards, and artificial intelligence-based fraud detection systems.
In addition, mandatory social audits twice a year will be conducted to keep the scheme corruption-free.
Leaders Present at the Event
The occasion was attended by State BJP President and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt and MLA Dilip Rawat, among others.
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