SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday notified the Jammu Kashmir Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB-G RAM-G] Scheme 2026, which will come into force across all notified rural areas of the Union Territory from July 1.
Issued under the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, the scheme replaces MGNREGA and aims to strengthen rural employment and livelihood generation.
An official spokesman said the scheme guarantees 125 days of wage employment annually to every eligible rural household willing to undertake unskilled manual work, up from the earlier 100-day guarantee. Employment must be provided within 15 days of demand, failing which applicants will be entitled to unemployment allowance. Wage payments will be made weekly or within a fortnight, with compensation for delays.
The spokesman said the scheme introduces a mandatory 60-day pause in public works during peak sowing and harvesting seasons to ensure labour availability for farming activities. “At the same time, it prioritises the creation of durable community assets and sustainable livelihood infrastructure.”
The scheme focuses on four priority sectors — water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood enhancement, and climate and disaster resilience. Planning will be carried out through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans using GIS-based tools and PM Gati Shakti layers.
Special support has been provided for vulnerable groups, including single women, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, members of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), released bonded labourers and transgender persons through dedicated Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards. At least one-third of the beneficiaries will be women.
The scheme includes biometric and face-authenticated attendance, geofencing, GPS-enabled project monitoring, AI-driven analytics, real-time dashboards, bilingual electronic muster rolls and mandatory public disclosures at worksites. Contractors and labour-displacing machinery will not be allowed.
Gram Panchayats will continue to serve as the main implementing agencies, responsible for registration of households, receiving work applications, issuing guarantee cards and executing approved works.
The scheme will operate as a Centrally sponsored scheme with a 90:10 cost-sharing pattern between the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration.
Administrative expenditure has been increased to strengthen staffing, monitoring, grievance redressal and accountability systems. The framework also provides for time-bound grievance redressal, mandatory social audits, independent evaluations and multi-tier monitoring.
“With its enhanced employment guarantee, agriculture-sensitive design, technology-enabled governance and focus on resilient rural infrastructure, VB-G RAM-G is expected to usher in a new era of inclusive, sustainable and future-ready rural development in Jammu Kashmir,” added the spokesman.
