Centre notifies 375 works under new rural employment framework

The Centre has notified 375 permissible works under the new rural employment framework, with greater focus on livelihood infrastructure, water security and disaster preparedness, expanding the list by 41 per cent compared with the previous scheme.

The Ministry of Rural Development said the new schedule under the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (VB-G RAM G) Gramin Act, 2025, categorises the works into four areas -- water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-related infrastructure, and special works for extreme weather events and disaster preparedness.

According to the ministry, 128 of the 375 works are related to water security, 111 to core rural infrastructure, 98 to livelihood-related infrastructure and 38 to disaster preparedness.

The expanded list covers water conservation and irrigation structures, rural health and community facilities, agro-processing units, cold storage infrastructure and flood protection works.

The ministry said livelihood-related works will make up 26 per cent of the total, compared with 1.1 per cent under the previous framework.

These works include cleaning, grading and packaging units, mini flour mills, market yards, dairy infrastructure, mushroom cultivation sheds and aquaculture structures.

The schedule also covers infrastructure for self-help groups and their federations, including SHG worksheds and SHE Marts, along with training and skill development centres.

Water security is the largest category and includes check dams, recharge shafts, rejuvenation of rivers and water channels, reclamation of waterlogged land and rainwater harvesting.

It also provides for drip irrigation, sprinkler systems and measures such as artificial glaciers for water conservation.

The core rural infrastructure category includes solar street lighting, waste recycling plants, greywater treatment units, rural libraries, veterinary and rural health centres, Common Service Centres, and additional classrooms and laboratories in government schools.

Repair and maintenance of water-supply infrastructure under the Jal Jeevan Mission are also covered under the schedule.

For the first time, the framework has a separate category for disaster preparedness and extreme weather events. The 38 works in this category include flood relief shelters, strengthening of embankments, flood protection, restoration of rural roads and community assets after disasters, and forest-fire management measures, the ministry said.

It said 181 works are linked to agriculture and allied activities, including 52 individual-beneficiary works. Another 107 works have been earmarked for Antyodaya and vulnerable households, including 68 individual-beneficiary works. The schedule also includes 36 works each related to women and youth.

The ministry said works will be planned through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans according to local requirements and approved by the Gram Sabha. They will be digitally tracked through the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack.

The VB-G RAM G Act, which came into force on July 1, replaced MGNREGA's demand-driven employment framework with a system providing 125 days of guaranteed wage employment to each rural household annually.

The Act also introduced a 60:40 Centre-state funding ratio for most states, with the Centre deciding state-wise normative allocations and states responsible for expenditure beyond the allocated amount.

The opposition had objected to the removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme and expressed concerns over the revised funding pattern, allocation mechanism and a provision allowing states to suspend work during peak agricultural seasons for up to 60 days a year.  (with inputs from PTI)