New Delhi: The Centre has officially rolled out the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB–G RAM G] Act, 2025, with the scheme coming into effect from July 1, 2026. Alongside its implementation, the Union Government has notified revised wage rates for rural workers across all States and Union Territories, raising the minimum daily wage under the programme to ₹300.
The notification marks the formal launch of the new rural employment initiative, which replaces the earlier framework and guarantees 125 days of wage employment to eligible rural households. Officials said the revised wage structure has been designed to improve rural incomes while reducing disparities in wage rates across different regions of the country.
According to the notification, wage rates have been revised in all 34 States, Union Territories and wage regions, with the national average daily wage increasing to ₹327.4, compared to ₹298.8 under the previous programme. More than 20 States and administrative units have been brought up to the newly introduced ₹300 minimum wage benchmark.
The highest percentage increase has been granted to States that historically recorded lower wage rates. Workers in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh are among those expected to benefit the most, with wage revisions ranging between 15 and 25 per cent.
States that already offered comparatively higher wages have also received an upward revision. Following the latest notification, Haryana, Goa, Kerala and parts of Sikkim now have notified daily wage rates exceeding ₹400, making them among the highest-paying regions under the programme.
Union Rural Development and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the implementation of the Act represents a significant step towards strengthening rural livelihoods. He noted that the government has focused on increasing wages in economically weaker regions so that the benefits reach workers who need them the most.
The government said the revised wage notification follows a transparent methodology that combines annual indexation with the newly introduced national base wage. Officials believe the measure will enhance purchasing power, improve income security and contribute to balanced rural development.
With the scheme now operational, the Centre expects the expanded employment guarantee and higher wage rates to generate additional livelihood opportunities, strengthen village economies and support the broader vision of inclusive development under Viksit Bharat 2047.
