SHILLONG, JAN 5: The Meghalaya unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday strongly defended the newly enacted Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025, terming it a “historic milestone” that will significantly transform rural livelihoods across the state.
Addressing a press conference, BJP state general secretary Wankitbok Pohshna said the Act expands the statutory guarantee of unskilled wage employment from 100 days to 125 days per rural household per year, responding to the evolving livelihood needs of rural families.
“The truth is that the Act expands opportunities for our rural households by increasing the guaranteed employment. No rights have been taken away; on the contrary, they are being strengthened,” Pohshna said.
Rejecting opposition claims that the legislation would erode rural employment or weaken Gram Seva institutions, he asserted that the reform represents a shift in vision—from short-term relief to long-term development.
“What changes is the vision. Instead of temporary relief, we are building durable assets—roads, irrigation canals, schools and community infrastructure—that will uplift villages for generations,” he said.
Pohshna emphasized that Gram Sevas will continue to play a central role in planning and oversight, while new transparency measures, including full digitisation of wage payments, will help eliminate leakages and ensure accountability.
He further outlined the Act’s four “clearly defined verticals”:
water security, core rural infrastructure, extreme-weather resilience, and disaster preparedness, ensuring that employment generation directly contributes to sustainable development and productivity.
“The Act guarantees timely wage payments, fixes responsibility, ensures funding discipline, and embeds transparency and accountability into the system,” Pohshna added.
The BJP also accused the Congress party of spreading “misinformation” and “baseless propaganda” regarding the legislation, stating that traditional village institutions remain safeguarded under the new framework while governance is further decentralised.
“Congress’s narrative is misleading and aimed at obstructing progress,” Pohshna remarked.
According to the BJP, the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, represents a redefinition of rural employment policy in line with the broader vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. The Act introduces a 90:10 Centre-State funding ratio for Meghalaya, which the party said would ensure fiscal discipline and deliver higher developmental returns in rural areas.
