Asem Bhakta
Special Correspondent North East
Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Khemchand on Thursday joined the nationwide rollout of the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB-GRAM G], replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The State Government announced an increase in guaranteed wage employment from 100 to 125 days annually and raised the daily wage from Rs. 284 to Rs. 300.
The state-level launch was held at Salam Tharojam Eco Tourism Park in Imphal West, where Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh said the new mission would strengthen rural livelihoods while contributing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister Khemchand singh said eligible job card holders would now be entitled to 125 days of guaranteed employment each year, compared to the earlier 100 days, along with the enhanced daily wage of Rs. 300.
Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, who participated in the programme via video conferencing, said sustainable rural development begins at the village level. She stressed the need for convergence of the mission with agriculture, horticulture, watershed development, soil conservation, the Jal Jeevan Mission and other livelihood programmes to create durable, climate-resilient community assets.
Commissioner of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Sumant Singh said the Act, passed by Parliament in December 2025, introduces a decentralised planning mechanism under which every Gram Panchayat will prepare its own development plan. He added that implementation would be integrated with the PM GatiShakti geospatial platform to enhance planning, transparency and monitoring.
The programme also featured the virtual national launch of the mission by Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Shivraj Singh Chouhan from Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. Following the event, the Chief Minister and other dignitaries participated in a plantation drive by planting saplings.
Meanwhile, district-level launch programmes were organised across the State, including in Bishnupur, Senapati, Tengnoupal, Tamenglong and Churachandpur.
In Bishnupur, Deputy Commissioner Pooja Elangbam described the mission as a significant step towards strengthening rural employment while creating durable community assets. She highlighted its focus on water conservation, rural infrastructure, livelihood enhancement and disaster preparedness, along with technology-driven features such as biometric authentication, geo-tagging, digital monitoring and timely wage payments to ensure transparency and accountability.
In Senapati, Additional District Magistrate and Project Director of the District Rural Development Agency, P.P. Ronald, said the mission builds upon the achievements of MGNREGA while introducing reforms aimed at promoting sustainable livelihoods. Besides extending guaranteed employment to 125 days, the scheme provides for a cumulative 60-day break during peak agricultural seasons to facilitate farming activities.
The Tengnoupal district administration launched the programme at the Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall, where work orders under the new mission were distributed to beneficiaries from Tengnoupal and H. Wajang villages. Additional Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Asghar Azad urged village authorities to prioritise development projects that would accelerate rural growth Dr. L. Angshim Dangshawa said the enhanced employment guarantee and revised wage structure would provide substantial support to rural households dependent on wage labour. He also inaugurated the construction of a pucca side drain at Apollo, the first project in the district to be undertaken under the new mission.
At Churachandpur, Deputy Commissioner Krishna Kumar described the rollout as a milestone in strengthening rural livelihoods. He said the mission prioritises four key sectors—water conservation, rural infrastructure, livelihood creation and disaster mitigation—and incorporates a cumulative 60-day pause during peak sowing seasons to support agricultural activities.
