PM Modi Endorses New Rural Job Bill: Why It's a "Renewal, Not Retreat"

In a post on his X handle, PM Modi shared and endorsed an article penned by Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, published in a leading daily and titled "New job law is not a retreat from social protection. It aims to reform".

Urging citizens to read the piece, the Prime Minister said: "In this must-read article, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan explains how the VB-G RAM G Bill aims to transform rural livelihoods by enhancing the employment guarantee, embedding local planning, balancing worker security with farm productivity, converging schemes, strengthening frontline capacity and modernising governance. He highlights that the Bill is not a retreat from social protection -- it is its renewal."

The VB-G RAM G Bill, passed by Parliament earlier this week amid heated debates and Opposition protests, increases the statutory guarantee of wage employment from 100 to 125 days per rural household annually.

The legislation also introduces an unemployment allowance if work is not provided within 15 days, removes certain disentitlement provisions from the earlier law, and places emphasis on the creation of durable assets in areas such as water security, rural infrastructure and climate resilience.

In his article, Minister Chouhan addresses key criticisms of the Bill, arguing that concerns over dilution of the demand-driven nature of the scheme are unfounded, as the legislation explicitly mandates the government to provide at least 125 days of work.

He further stresses that employment generation and asset creation are complementary rather than competing objectives, and together can foster long-term rural prosperity.

Responding to fears of centralisation, Shivraj Singh Chouhan clarifies that planning remains anchored in village-level "Viksit Gram Panchayat" Plans approved by gram sabhas, while a national infrastructure stack is intended to ensure coordination without overriding local priorities.

The Bill also allows states to pause works for up to 60 days during peak agricultural seasons to avoid labour shortages, with flexibility for district-level variations.

Technology integration, including biometric authentication and real-time monitoring, has been positioned as a tool for transparency rather than exclusion, supported by social audits and grievance redress mechanisms, the minister said.

As the scheme prepares for rollout from April 2026, the government views VB-G RAM G as a modern evolution aligned with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, aimed at delivering enforceable rights, accountability and sustainable development.

Critics, however, continue to raise concerns over funding patterns and potential impacts on worker entitlements. PM Modi's endorsement signals the government's effort to project the reform as an upgrade, not a rollback, of India's flagship rural welfare programme.

- IANS