The name of the Act may change, but the Meghalaya government has made it clear that it welcomes the transition from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025, citing financial gains for the state, increased employment days and stronger safeguards against fund misuse. Community & Rural Development Minister Sosthenes Sohtun said the revised framework works in Meghalaya’s favour and strengthens transparency at the grassroots.
Sohtun said, “The name of this act can be any but from the state Government we are welcoming this act,” stressing that the shift to a 90:10 Centre-state funding pattern does not disadvantage Meghalaya. He maintained that despite the change from full central funding of wages, “overall our state doesn’t loose anything,” when the total financial implications are calculated.
Highlighting a key relief for the state exchequer, the minister said the burden on material costs has been significantly reduced. “25 percent material the state has to bare earlier now it has come down to 10 percent,” he said, describing it as a clear gain compared to the earlier MGNREGA structure.
The minister also pointed to the expansion of guaranteed employment under the new Act. “Earlier it was 100 days employment but it has increased another 25 days,” he said, adding that the enhanced allocation for 125 days would translate into higher fund flow and wider coverage. According to him, the increased number of workdays “will benefit job card holders and unskilled workers.”
On governance and accountability, Sohtun said the new Act strengthens monitoring mechanisms at the village level. Referring to concerns over misuse of schemes, he said the revised framework would ensure that “this work should be transparent,” enabling bodies like Village Employment Councils to oversee implementation more effectively. He added that job card holders would be better informed about their entitlements and benefits under the scheme.
The minister said the government is committed to tightening implementation on the ground, noting that he would be engaging with blocks and BDOs to ensure smoother execution. The objective, he said, is “to streamline all the works in such a way that there is no appropriation of funds,” while ensuring that the benefits of the new rural employment law reach intended beneficiaries across Meghalaya.
