The Centre has expanded the number of permissible works under the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB–G RAM G), which replaced MGNREGA from July 1 across India, to 375 from the 266 permitted earlier under MGNREGA, marking a 41 per cent increase, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Rural Development on Tuesday.
For the first time, the government has also introduced a dedicated special category of works permitted for mitigating the impact of extreme weather events and disaster preparedness under VB–G RAM G, comprising 38 activities.
These include flood relief shelters, retaining walls, embankment strengthening, flood-protection works, post-disaster restoration of rural roads and community assets, as well as forest-fire management measures such as fire lines and fuel-buffer zones, the statement said.
Around 15.64 million households sought work under the new VB–G RAM G scheme in September 2026, nearly 34 per cent more than in the corresponding month last year under MGNREGA, the latest data showed.
Meanwhile, the official statement also said that the new schedule of permissible works under VB–G RAM G is categorised under four broad pillars. These are water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-related infrastructure, and special works for extreme weather events and disaster preparedness.
According to the government statement, the water security category has the largest share, with 128 permissible works. These include check dams, gully plugs, underground dykes, recharge shafts, injection wells, rejuvenation of rivers and other water bodies, reclamation of waterlogged land, and renovation of field water-distribution channels.
The ministry said the category also covers drip irrigation, sprinkler systems, rooftop rainwater harvesting and tankas, besides newer interventions such as ice stupas and artificial glaciers for water conservation and irrigation.
The second-largest category of permissible works is the creation of core rural infrastructure, comprising 111 works aimed at strengthening essential rural civic and community infrastructure, the government said. These include solar street lighting, waste-to-wealth recycling plants, greywater treatment units, segregation sheds, rural libraries, veterinary and rural health centres, common service centres, multipurpose youth centres, and additional classrooms and laboratories in government schools.
The schedule also provides for repair and maintenance of Jal Jeevan Mission water-supply infrastructure, along with rural parks, footpaths and other village-level amenities, according to the statement.
Livelihood-related infrastructure accounts for 98 permissible works. The government said these include agro-processing and value-addition facilities, cleaning, grading and packaging units, cold storage, mini flour mills, market yards, dairy infrastructure, mushroom cultivation sheds, sericulture sheds, poly-houses and aquaculture structures.
The ministry said the new framework significantly increases the emphasis on livelihood-related works, which account for 26 per cent of the total permissible works, compared with 1.1 per cent under the previous framework.
The official statement said the schedule places particular emphasis on farmers, vulnerable households, women and rural youth. Of the 375 works, 181 are agriculture and allied works, including 52 individual-beneficiary works covering water, land, plantation, livestock and other productive assets.
Another 107 works are tagged for Antyodaya and vulnerable households, including 68 individual-beneficiary works, while 36 works each are related to women and youth, the ministry said.
The statement said all works will originate through bottom-up planning under Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans and require approval by the Gram Sabha. Their implementation will be tracked through the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack.
According to the government, the new framework is intended to link wage employment with durable asset creation, livelihood generation, water security, climate resilience and inclusive rural development, while enabling convergence among central, state and local schemes.
