New Rural Jobs Law Lists 375 Types of Work: What the VB-G RAM G Schedule Covers
On 5 October 2026, the Ministry of Rural Development notified a new Schedule of permissible works under the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar aur Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, known as VB-G RAM G. "Permissible works" are the types of projects on which rural workers can be employed under the law.
The Schedule lists 375 types of works, compared with 266 under the earlier MGNREGA framework. This is an increase of about 41%.
The works are divided into four areas: Water Security (128 works), Core Rural Infrastructure (111), Livelihood-related Infrastructure (98) and Special Works for Extreme Weather Events and Disaster Preparedness (38).
Examples include check dams, recharge pits and ice stupas (water); rural roads, anganwadi buildings, solar street lights and ramps for disabled persons (infrastructure); self-help group worksheds, cold storage and dairy facilities (livelihood); and cyclone and flood shelters, embankments and forest-fire management structures (disaster preparedness).
Every work must come from the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan, approved by the Gram Sabha, and will be tracked through the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack.
Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar aur Ajeevika Mission, Gramin (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025
The VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 is India's law that guarantees paid work to rural families. Any rural household whose adult members are willing to do unskilled manual work can ask for work, and the government must give up to 125 days of paid work in a financial year. It replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, and came into force on 1 July 2026.
The Act fixes four priority areas for work but leaves the detailed list to a Schedule. The new Schedule fills in that list. It decides what assets workers can build in villages, and its new disaster-preparedness category links jobs to climate resilience.
Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP)
A Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) is a yearly plan that each village panchayat makes to decide what development work it will do and how it will pay for it. The people of the village, through the Gram Sabha, say what they need: a water tank, a road, a school wall or a drain. The panchayat then matches these needs with the money it has from the Finance Commission, state funds and central schemes. In short, it is "planning from below": the village decides, instead of officers in a distant office.
The new Schedule gives a menu of 375 works, but the actual choice of works is made in each village. Under VB-G RAM G, every work must come from the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan approved by the Gram Sabha. The quality of this panchayat-level planning will decide whether the longer list leads to useful local assets.
Gram Sabha
The Gram Sabha is the assembly of all adult voters of a village panchayat area. Every person on the village voter list is automatically a member. It is the only body in India's government where citizens take part directly, without representatives. It discusses village needs, approves plans and checks the work of the panchayat.
The notified Schedule says every one of the 375 works must start from a plan approved by the Gram Sabha. This keeps the villagers' assembly at the centre of deciding where rural job money is spent.
- Schedule notified: 5 October 2026, by the Ministry of Rural Development
- Total permissible works: 375 (266 under MGNREGA), about 41% more
- Water Security: 128 works; Core Rural Infrastructure: 111; Livelihood-related Infrastructure: 98; Extreme Weather and Disaster Preparedness: 38
- VB-G RAM G Act: assent 21 December 2025; in force 1 July 2026; 125 days of work per household per year
- Funding ratio: 60:40 (Centre:State); 90:10 for North-Eastern and Himalayan states
- Works must come from the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan approved by the Gram Sabha; tracked on the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack