India to Implement New Rural Employment Guarantee Act from July 1

The Indian government announced on Monday that the new Viksit Bharat — Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act will come into force across the country from July 1, replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Rural Development, the Act will be implemented in all states and union territories.

The Ministry of Rural Development stated that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, will be repealed and replaced by the new Act, ensuring a seamless transition for workers. Ongoing works under MGNREGA as of June 30 will be carried over to the new framework, and existing e-KYC verified MGNREGA job cards will remain valid until new gramin rozgar guarantee cards are issued.

The government described gram panchayats as the central pillar of rural transformation, expecting the new law to boost employment generation, rural infrastructure development, and self-reliance in villages.

The Ministry is preparing draft rules related to wage payments, grievance redressal, allocation norms, and transitional provisions in consultation with states and union territories, which will soon be published for public consultation. The government will continue to register workers without job cards at the gram panchayat level, and workers will not be denied employment due to pending e-KYC.

The court is not involved in this case, but the Ministry of Rural Development will continue to work with states and union territories to ensure a smooth implementation of the new Act. The government will provide further updates and guidance as the implementation date approaches.