NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday placed states under a strict implementation timeline for the rollout of the ‘Viksit Bharat GRAMG’ framework, directing that the transition must begin from July 1, 2026, without any disruption in rural employment or wage payments.
Chouhan told a high-level meeting of state rural development ministers that the shift is not a routine administrative change but a matter directly linked to the livelihoods of crores of rural workers.
He said that “not a single worker should remain without work even for a day” and stressed that employment generation, wage payments, and statutory rights must continue without interruption during the transition.
The Centre has backed the rollout with significant financial support, announcing an interim allocation of Rs 95,692 crore to states and Union Territories, according to an official statement.
This comes in addition to Rs 30,000 crore already allocated under MGNREGA, taking the total provision beyond Rs 1.25 lakh crore.
Chouhan said the funds must be effectively utilised across nearly 2.80 lakh Gram Panchayats and directed states to ensure advance approval of sufficient works so that implementation can begin immediately from July 1.
He also asked states to complete key preparatory steps, including issuance of state-level notifications, strengthening of digital systems such as DBT, e-KYC, and face authentication, and ensuring capacity-building at district and block levels.
He noted that several states have already made progress, while some, including Jharkhand, Karnataka, Telangana, and Mizoram, have been urged to expedite compliance.
The minister said works under the scheme will continue to be selected through Gram Panchayats and Gram Sabhas, but emphasized that there should be no reduction or delay in employment generation or wage payments during the transition period.
State-wise allocations were also announced during the meeting, with Uttar Pradesh receiving Rs 12,221.48 crore, followed by West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, and other states.
Chouhan invited all states to the National Rural Development Conference scheduled at PUSA Institute in New Delhi on June 28 and 29, where further discussions on implementation will take place.
