Odisha Approves Rs 5,575 Crore Rural Jobs Scheme Guaranteeing 125 Days From July 1
Updated
Updated · The New Indian Express · Jun 14
Odisha Approves Rs 5,575 Crore Rural Jobs Scheme Guaranteeing 125 Days From July 1
3 articles · Updated · The New Indian Express · Jun 14
Summary
Rs 5,575 crore has been earmarked for Odisha’s new VB-G RAM G rural employment scheme, which the state cabinet cleared for rollout across all gram panchayats from July 1.
Eligible rural households will be guaranteed 125 days of wage work each financial year, aimed at cushioning agricultural distress and seasonal unemployment.
The state will also notify up to 60 days during critical farm operations—especially sowing and harvesting seasons—under the 2025 Act framework.
The scheme is designed to build durable community assets in water security, rural infrastructure, livelihoods and extreme-weather mitigation, with gram panchayat plans prepared through participatory, technology-enabled planning.
The new job scheme mandates a work pause for farming. Will this save agriculture or starve rural laborers?
With states now footing 40% of the bill, is the new 125-day job guarantee a sustainable promise for rural India?
Will the new rural job scheme's AI and biometrics create new hurdles for the poor it's meant to help?
Odisha’s 125-Day Rural Job Guarantee: The VB-G RAM G Shift, Funding Challenges, and Social Equity Impacts from 2026
Overview
Odisha is set for a major change in rural employment as the state cabinet, led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, has approved the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) scheme. Starting July 1, 2026, this new scheme will be implemented across all gram panchayats, replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The new approach expands guaranteed wage employment from 100 to 125 days per rural household each year, aiming to provide greater income security for rural families and marking a significant shift in how rural development and employment are managed in Odisha.