Shimla, Jan 7 (AHN) Himachal Pradesh BJP President Rajeev Bindal on Wednesday said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the NDA government has launched a visionary and timely nationwide rural employment scheme.

“The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (VB–G RAM G Act) is set to establish a new dimension for rural India. This scheme is not limited merely to providing employment; but also to create a concrete and result-oriented framework that links employment directly with rural development,” Bindal told the media here.

He said since Independence, successive governments have launched various schemes aimed at rural employment.

“From the Rural Manpower Programme (1960-61) to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in 2005, several initiatives were implemented. MGNREGA continued from 2005 to 2025. However, in view of changing socio-economic conditions, accumulated experience and ground-level shortcomings, the need was felt for a new, more effective and development-oriented scheme. This led to the creation of the VB–G RAM G Act.”

The party President clarified that while MGNREGA provided a guarantee of 100 days of employment, in reality the average employment generated was only 50.4 days.

“In contrast, the VB–G RAM G scheme provides a legal guarantee of 125 days of employment, which will be linked to development projects. Under this scheme, a village development plan will be prepared at the Gram Sabha level, forwarded through block and district levels, and integrated with the PM Gati Shakti platform. Employment will be generated for implementing this development plan, ensuring holistic development of villages,” he explained.

Bindal highlighted that a major advantage of this scheme is that it is fully technology-driven. “Its provisions include biometric attendance, digital multi-level monitoring, a six-month review mechanism, and clearly defined time-bound payments. In case employment or payment is not provided on time, there is a provision for compensation to the beneficiary, ensuring accountability.”

He said the Congress is trying to spread confusion regarding its funding pattern, whereas the truth “is that for Himalayan states like Himachal Pradesh, the Centre-state funding ratio has been fixed at 90:10, which is highly beneficial for the state. For other states, the ratio is 60:40. The Centre has made this provision keeping in view the geographical conditions of different states”.

Presenting comparative data, Bindal said the Congress-led UPA government spent Rs 2.13 lakh crore on MGNREGA from 2006 to 2014, whereas the NDA government spent over Rs 8.53 lakh crore between 2014 and 2025. In terms of employment generation, 1,660 million mandays were created during the UPA period, compared to 3,210 million mandays during the Modi government. The number of completed works stood at 153 lakh during the UPA era, while it increased to 862 lakh during the NDA period, clearly reflecting the seriousness of the BJP government.