Himachal opposes center’s ‘Viksit Bharat Gram G’ Scheme, sites financial burden

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Shimla, June 25

The Himachal Pradesh government has raised objections to the Center’s decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as ‘Viksit Bharat Gram G’ and introduce new provisions in the rural employment scheme.

Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh said the Center took the decision without consulting state governments and imposed the changes unilaterally. He claimed that the revised funding pattern would put an additional financial burden of ₹164.63 crore annually on Himachal Pradesh.

Singh said that earlier, the Center covered 100 percent of the expenditure under MGNREGA, but the new arrangement has changed the funding ratio to 90:10 for special category states like Himachal Pradesh and 60:40 for other states.

He said the state’s existing employment commitments would require an additional expenditure of around ₹12.54 crore annually. According to him, the Center’s allocation share of 0.914 percent would provide only around 220–230 lakh mandays, whereas Himachal Pradesh had generated work equivalent to around 395 lakh mandays.

Singh also criticised the reduction in daily wages under the scheme, saying Himachal Pradesh was providing ₹320 per day, while the revised provision reduced wages in non-tribal areas to ₹247 per day.

“The country is witnessing a situation where wages are being reduced instead of increased,” Singh said.

He further said the scheme’s demand-based nature was being replaced by a software-driven system, which could create implementation challenges in a hilly state like Himachal Pradesh.

The minister claimed that the Center had pending dues of around ₹20 crore for MGNREGA staff, including Gram Rozgar Sevaks, computer operators, and junior accountants, since February.

Singh said the new system would require the preparation of a ‘Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan’ linked to PM Gati Shakti, replacing the earlier process in which plans were approved by Panchayats, Block Development Committees, and District Councils.

He warned that the annual liability for Himachal Pradesh could rise to ₹800–1,000 crore due to the changes. However, he said the state would have to adopt the revised scheme as failure to do so could result in exclusion from the programme.

Singh added that MGNREGA has been an important support system for poor rural families and criticised the changes introduced by the Center.