VB GRAM G vs MNREGA: Which burdens States more?

VB GRAM G vs MNREGA: Which burdens States more?

Author: The Hindu July 27, 2026 Duration: 24:38
The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (or VB-G RAM G) has replaced the 21-year-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (or MGNREGA). The VB-G RAM G Act provides a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment per financial year to rural households whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work (up from 100 days under MGNREGA). However, under the new system, the States’ contributions to the scheme will increase by 300%. In this episode we discuss how this change reflects on Indian welfare policy, and more. Guest: Rajendran Narayanan, Associate Professor at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru Host: Nitika Francis Producer and editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each week, the journalists at In Focus by The Hindu select one pressing story from the news cycle and slow it down. Rather than a rapid headline, you’ll hear a thoughtful conversation that unpacks the layers behind an event-the historical precedents, the economic forces, the political nuances, and the human impact. This podcast relies on conversations with reporters who have been on the ground and specialists who have spent years, sometimes decades, studying a particular issue. The result is a clearer, more substantive understanding of what’s happening in India and around the world. You might explore the roots of a regional conflict one episode, and dive into the complexities of a new environmental policy the next. It’s designed for anyone who feels that the daily news skim leaves too many questions unanswered. Tune in for a consistent, deep-dive format that prioritizes context over instant reaction, making sense of the week’s most significant developments through careful analysis and expert insight.
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