‘Viksit Bharat–G RAM G’ lays roadmap for developed villages: Dy CM

Agra: Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Friday said the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 — branded as VB-G RAM G — provides a roadmap for developing villages, the state and the country.Addressing a press conference and later a gram chaupal in Agra, Maurya outlined key provisions of the Act, including an increase in guaranteed rural employment from 100 to 125 days.Explaining the scheme, he described it as a "symbol of Indian culture, good governance and public welfare", elaborating the acronym as G — Jan Bhagidari (public participation), Ra — Rashtra Nirman (nation building), M — Manviya Moolyon ke saath Vikas (development with human values) and Ji — Jan Kalyan (public welfare).Maurya said the Act would benefit nearly 70% of the population, strengthen village-level infrastructure, and ensure dignity, social security and weekly wage payments for workers. He claimed the framework would curb corruption and reduce distress migration by providing sustained local employment.Under the Act, job cards will be issued for three years, village panchayats will be graded into A, B and C categories based on development indicators, and planning will use PM Gati Shakti, GIS and other IT tools.He said biometric systems, GIS-based mobile applications and face-recognition technology would be deployed to enhance transparency. "Existing MGNREGA staff will continue under the new Act. The scope of permissible works has been expanded to include kitchen sheds and laboratories in schools, apart from boundary walls, and provisions have also been made for disaster management works," Maurya said, calling it a step towards a "corruption-free, self-reliant and modern rural India".Later, the deputy CM addressed a gram chaupal at Paitikheda village in Fatehabad tehsil of Agra district, where he said villages would soon match cities in infrastructure, including roads, drainage and water management.He reiterated the govt's target of creating three crore Lakhpati Didis in the state, noting that one crore women had already been certified and honoured. He said each village would eventually have 10–20 such women entrepreneurs.Meanwhile, during the event, a power outage disrupted proceedings, prompting Maurya to direct strict action against those responsible. District magistrate Arvind Mallappa Bangari ordered an immediate inquiry.