Employment guarantee has slipped into limbo

The article details a significant decline in rural employment generation following the transition from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) alias VB-G RAM G Act, effective July 1, 2026. It highlights the confusion during the transition, the substantial drop in person-days of work, and raises concerns about the implementation, budget utilization, and future outlook of the new employment guarantee scheme, particularly its adverse impact on poorer states and potential issues with wage payments and Centre-State cost-sharing.