Examine the adequacy of the transition from a 100-day to a 125-day employment guarantee under VB-G RAM G in addressing rural underemployment.

Q. Examine the adequacy of the transition from a 100-day to a 125-day employment guarantee under VB-G RAM G in addressing rural underemployment. (15 marks, 250-350 words)

Rural underemployment is the absorption of surplus labour in low-productivity, seasonal work rather than open joblessness. The Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, in force from 1 July 2026, raises the statutory guarantee from 100 to 125 days per rural household [1]. The enhancement is directionally sound but, by itself, only partially adequate.

Where the enhancement addresses underemployment - Statutory floor retained: like MGNREGA, work is a legal entitlement to be provided within a fixed period of demand, failing which unemployment allowance is payable — not a discretionary scheme [3]. - Lean-season cushion: the additional 25 days extends income support into agriculturally slack months, while the Act's aggregated no-work window during peak sowing and harvesting prevents public works from competing with farm labour demand [3]. - Larger fiscal envelope: a Central provision of about ₹95,692 crore for FY2026-27, with total outlay including the State share projected well above ₹1.5 lakh crore [1][4].

Where it falls short - Ceiling versus actual work: under MGNREGA, average employment per household persistently remained far below the 100-day ceiling; raising the ceiling does not by itself end rationing of work at the block level [2]. - Cost-sharing risk: the move from full Central funding of unskilled wages to 60:40 (90:10 for North-Eastern and Himalayan States) transfers fiscal pressure to States, and weaker States may suppress demand registration [1][3]. - Interim allocations pegged to a fraction of previous MGNREGA outlays raise concerns of underfunding relative to the higher guarantee [4]. - Quality of work: unskilled manual employment sustains incomes without raising productivity or enabling exit from low-wage agriculture.

Thus, the extra 25 days strengthens the entitlement's floor, but adequacy will be decided by financing and demand-responsiveness rather than the statutory number. Assured normative allocations, transparent demand registration, and convergence with skilling and asset-creation programmes can convert the guarantee into productive employment, advancing the Directive Principle of the right to work under Article 41 and SDG-8.

(~330 words)

Sources: 1. VB-G RAM G Act to Come into Force from July 1, 2026 — PIB, Ministry of Rural Development — commencement date, 100→125 day enhancement, 60:40 and 90:10 cost-sharing, interim allocation and total programme outlay 2. Federal Contribution of Funds under VB-G RAM G — PIB, Ministry of Rural Development — fund-flow pattern and past employment/persondays performance under the predecessor scheme 3. The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 — PRS Legislative Research — statutory entitlement design, timeline for providing work and unemployment allowance, no-work period during peak agricultural season 4. Provision of ₹95,692 crore made for Viksit Bharat G RAM G in FY 2026-27 — News on Air (Prasar Bharati) — FY2026-27 Central provision and basis of interim State-wise allocations