Implementation of VB-G RAM G begins in West Bengal

Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G), a 125-day business plan, was launched in West Bengal on Wednesday, July 1, 2026.

The government’s job guarantee program is restarting in the state after almost four years. In March 2022, the Union Government stopped providing funds to the West Bengal Government for the 100-day MGNREGA work plan, alleging financial irregularities by the then Trinamool Congress government.

In the West Bengal Budget 2026-27, ₹14,000 crore has been allocated for employment under the VB-G RAM G scheme. According to the new scheme, expenses will be shared between the Center and the State on a 60:40 basis. While the Union Government has already allocated ₹ 8,508 crore to Bengal, the State has allocated its share at ₹ 5,672 crore.

Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Dilip Ghosh said that funding will never be a constraint for the scheme and the Center has assured the State that the pending MGNREGS dues will be released after verification.

The Minister noted that around 2,000 non-functioning panchayats created administrative hurdles in the implementation of the scheme. Following the regime change in West Bengal, several panchayats run by the Trinamool Congress are now dysfunctional.

Insufficient, says union

Farm workers union Paschim Banga Khet Major Samity (PBKMS) pointed out that the allocation for VB-G RAM G scheme is less than half of what is required for the state.

“With 75.97 lakh active job cards in West Bengal and an average cost of ₹313.30 per person per day, available funds will produce only about 60 days of work per active job card. The total requirement to provide the legally guaranteed 125 days is estimated to be ₹ 29,752 crore,” the Union had written to State Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta.

PBKMS also pointed out that unemployment benefit and arrear compensation under Section 22(8) under the VB-GRAMG Act is the responsibility of the State Government.

“Workers should receive compensation if wages are delayed. These are legal rights, not optional welfare measures. We therefore demand that the State Budget include a separate provision for unemployment benefits and delayed compensation so that workers are not forced to suffer due to administrative delays or inability to provide work,” the union said.

In another development, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday said that the first tranche of funds under the Annapurna Yojana, a financial assistance scheme for women, was transferred to around 1.1 crore beneficiaries on Wednesday (July 1). Mr. Adhikari also said that 1.6 crore applications were received for the scheme and 26 lakh were rejected due to doubts over citizenship and residence status. Annapurna Yojana was introduced by the BJP government to provide a monthly allowance of ₹3,000 to eligible women, replacing the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme of the previous Trinamool Congress regime.