Earn without capitalGovernment scheme workChecked Oct 2026
Guaranteed Rural Work (VB-G RAM G, earlier MGNREGA)
ग्रामीण रोज़गार गारंटी (मनरेगा की जगह नई योजना) · ग्रामीण रोजगार हमी योजना
A legal guarantee of paid manual work near your village for rural households that ask for it. The law changed on 1 July 2026: MGNREGA was replaced, and the guarantee rose to 125 days a year.
The short answer
The fallback for any rural household with no other work: unskilled labour on local public works, at a wage fixed by the government, paid into your bank account. It is a safety net, not a living, and it is paused during the peak farming season. If you live in a village, hold a job card whether or not you plan to use it.
- Money to start
- None
- Education
- No minimum
- Vehicle
- Not needed
- Skill
- None
Any adult in a rural household willing to do unskilled manual work can register with the gram panchayat and ask for work on public projects such as ponds, roads, plantations and soil and water works. From 1 July 2026 the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act replaced the MGNREGA of 2005. The new law raises the guaranteed days per household from 100 to 125 a year and builds in a 60-day pause during the main sowing and harvesting seasons. Existing job cards remain valid until new cards are issued.
What you need
- Age 18 or above.
- You must live in a rural area and be an adult member of the household.
- Registration at your gram panchayat, which issues the household's job card.
- Aadhaar and a bank or post office account linked to it, because wages are paid by transfer.
- Willingness to do manual work at a site near the village.
How the money works
You apply for work at the gram panchayat, are allotted a site, and are paid a daily wage for the days worked, credited to your bank account. The wage rate is notified by the government and differs from state to state.
- The guarantee is per household per year, not per person.
- Work is not offered during the 60-day peak farm season.
- e-KYC of the job card is being required; the ministry has said work will not be refused while it is pending.
What people actually take home
We do not estimate earnings ourselves. Each line below is someone else's figure, with who said it and when.
The new Act came into force on 1 July 2026 and MGNREGA stands repealed from that date. It raises guaranteed work from 100 to 125 days a year per household with a job card.
Government or regulatorNotified May 2026 · Business Standard: VB-G RAM G to come into force from 1 July
Existing e-KYC-verified MGNREGA job cards remain valid until new cards are issued, workers without cards can still register at the gram panchayat, and work will not be denied for pending e-KYC, the ministry said.
Government or regulator2026 · Angel One: government to launch VB-G RAM G on 1 July 2026
The Centre and states share the cost 60:40 (90:10 for north-eastern and Himalayan states), and a 60-day pause applies in peak sowing and harvesting seasons.
Independent study2026 · The News Minute: what changes as VB-G RAM G replaces MGNREGA
What we could not find
- The daily wage rate for each state under the new law. Rules on wages were still being drafted when we checked.
- Whether the unemployment allowance for work not given within the time limit continues in the same form.
| Ask before you start | Where to ask |
|---|---|
| What is the daily wage in this state now? | Your gram panchayat, the Gram Rozgar Sevak, or the state rural development department's website |
| Which months are the 60-day pause here? | The gram panchayat |
| My job card is old or my name is missing. What do I do? | The gram panchayat, then the Block Development Office |
Is it legal where you live?
Rural India
The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 has applied since 1 July 2026, replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005. Rules on wage payment and grievances were still being framed at the time of writing, so confirm details locally.
As of Oct 2026
How to start
- Go to your gram panchayat with Aadhaar, a photograph and bank details and ask to register your household.
- Collect the job card and keep it with you, not with a contractor or official.
- Apply for work in writing and get a dated receipt.
- Check your bank account for each wage payment.
- If work or wages are refused, complain at the Block Development Office.
What is good about it
- A legal right, not a favour: any rural adult can ask.
- Work close to home, with women and men paid the same rate.
- Wages paid into your own account.
- More days than before: 125 a year.
What is hard about it
- Hard manual labour, and the wage is low.
- Payments are often late.
- No work during the peak farming months.
- It supplements a household's income; it cannot replace it.
- Rules under the new law are still settling.
Traps to avoid
- Middlemen who keep workers' job cards or bank passbooks and take a cut.
- Being asked to pay for a job card. It is free.
- Names added to a muster roll for work you did not do: check your account and report it.
Where this can lead
Questions people ask
Has MGNREGA been stopped?+
It was replaced on 1 July 2026 by a new law, the VB-G RAM G Act. Guaranteed work continues, and the number of days per household rose from 100 to 125 a year. Existing job cards remain valid until new ones are issued.
How do I get a job card?+
Register your household at the gram panchayat with Aadhaar, a photograph and bank details. The card is free.
What is the daily wage?+
It is notified by the government and differs by state. We could not find the rates under the new law; ask your gram panchayat.
Sources
- Business Standard: VB-G RAM G to come into force from 1 July 2026
- The News Minute: what changes as VB-G RAM G replaces MGNREGA
- Angel One: VB-G RAM G launch on 1 July 2026
Pay rates, fees and rules change often and differ by city. Confirm them with the company or the regulator before you commit money or leave other work.
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