Overview
- The VB‑G RAM G Act has taken effect after presidential assent, repealing MGNREGA and creating a statutory 125‑day entitlement per rural household.
- The law moves to a 60:40 Centre–state cost share for most states, 90:10 for north‑eastern and Himalayan regions, with Centre‑set “normative allocations” that cap spending unless states contribute more.
- States can pre‑notify up to 60 no‑work days during sowing and harvest, and official data showing only 48.33 average workdays over the past five years highlights delivery challenges.
- Indian Express analysis applying FY25 trends finds state outlays would have risen over fourfold under the new rules even for roughly 50 days of work, making 125 days viable only with substantially higher funding.
- Opposition leaders and several states are preparing coordinated legal and political challenges, while supporters including Amitabh Kant and minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan argue the redesign prioritises productive assets, digital monitoring and faster payments; some local workers have welcomed the 125‑day promise.