Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said the Viksit Bharat–G RAM G scheme will significantly strengthen the state’s rural economy by reinforcing the employment guarantee framework while creating durable assets in villages.
Addressing concerns raised by the Opposition, Sawant said the scheme does not replace or dilute MGNREGA, but instead seeks to improve its planning, delivery and accountability.
“The Viksit Bharat–G RAM G scheme will renew and strengthen the employment guarantee framework, create permanent assets in areas such as water security and core rural infrastructure, and expand opportunities for women and farmers,” the Chief Minister said.
The Viksit Bharat-G RAM G (Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission-Gramin) Act, 2025, is a new Indian law replacing MGNREGA, extending guaranteed rural wage employment to 125 days per household, integrating infrastructure development, and focusing on technology-driven, accountable governance for rural prosperity and achieving ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.
The Congress alleged on Tuesday that the government has run a "bulldozer" over the MGNREGA scheme and urged people to join its "MGNREGA Bachao Sangram", which it said is a nationwide struggle for the restoration of the constitutional rights to work, to wages and to accountability. The protest started on 10 January.
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said the "MGNREGA Bachao Sangram" will reach 2.5 lakh gram panchayats and crores of people across the country.
"The government has run a bulldozer over the MGNREGA scheme, which has become the lifeline for crores of people in India. This nationwide struggle is against that, for the restoration of the constitutional rights to work, to wages and to accountability," he said in a post in Hindi on X and urged people to join the campaign.
Opposition is misleading the public: Goa CM
The Goa CM accused the Opposition of misleading the public by creating confusion around the initiative. “The Opposition is spreading misinformation about this reform. It neither weakens nor replaces MGNREGA,” Sawant asserted.
Calling the scheme a visionary initiative, Sawant said it was introduced under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is aligned with the broader goal of Viksit Bharat 2047.
The Chief Minister added that the state government is working closely with panchayats to ensure effective implementation at the grassroots level. “Our focus is to ensure that every rural household benefits from the scheme,” he said.
The government expects the programme to boost rural livelihoods by improving infrastructure, strengthening water management and creating long-term economic opportunities across Goa’s villages.
