Shivraj Chouhan Engages SHGs Nationwide on Viksit Bharat Rozgar Act 2025

Highlighting the Act’s strong focus on women’s empowerment, the Minister informed that at least one-third of all beneficiaries under the Act will be women.

Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, today chaired a national-level virtual interaction with Self Help Group (SHG) members to deliberate on the provisions and community expectations related to the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB–G RAM G) Act, 2025. The large-scale interaction witnessed massive participation of over 35.29 lakh participants from 2,55,407 villages, spanning 4,912 blocks across 622 districts of the country.

The primary objective of the interaction was to create awareness among SHG members about the key provisions of the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025 and to understand grassroots perspectives to ensure effective and inclusive implementation of the landmark rural employment legislation.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Minister of State for Rural Development & Communications, Shri Kamlesh Paswan, Minister of State for Rural Development, senior officials of the Ministry of Rural Development, State Mission Directors and CEOs of State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs), SHG women representatives, and other stakeholders from across the country.

Transformative Legislation for Rural India

Addressing the gathering, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan described the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025 as a transformative and future-oriented legislation aimed at revitalising India’s rural economy through sustained employment and resilient village development. He stated that the Act has been designed to generate durable livelihood opportunities, strengthen rural infrastructure, and reduce distress-driven migration from villages.

Highlighting the Act’s strong focus on women’s empowerment, the Minister informed that at least one-third of all beneficiaries under the Act will be women. He further announced the provision of special Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards for single women, ensuring priority in work allocation and enhanced economic security.

The Minister also noted that the Act provides operational flexibility during peak agricultural seasons to ensure adequate availability of farm labour, while simultaneously prioritising works related to water conservation, livelihood creation, and sustainable rural development. He emphasised that with improved infrastructure and reliable employment, every village can evolve into a centre of economic growth, significantly curbing rural distress migration.

An interactive session followed, during which SHG women raised queries related to employment days, wage payments, women-friendly works, and implementation mechanisms. Responding to the questions, Shri Chouhan assured the “SHG didis” that the Government of India remains fully committed to their welfare, dignity, and economic empowerment.

Strong Role for SHGs and Community Institutions

In his address, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications, underscored that the active involvement of Self Help Groups is central to the success of the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025. He stated that SHGs will play a crucial role in planning, creating, and managing community assets, including rural infrastructure and community centres, thereby strengthening local ownership and village-level governance.

Shri Kamlesh Paswan, Minister of State for Rural Development, highlighted key provisions of the Act, particularly noting that the statutory employment guarantee has been enhanced from 100 days to 125 days, offering greater income stability to rural households. He emphasised that the works undertaken under the Act will focus on water security, livestock-based livelihoods, and other productive rural assets, reinforcing sustainable income generation.

Earlier, Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, welcomed the participants and stated that the success of VB–G RAM G would depend on collective ownership by community institutions, including SHGs, their federations, and Panchayati Raj Institutions.

Women-Centric and Inclusive Framework

A detailed presentation on the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025 was shared during the meeting, outlining its objectives, features, and implementation framework. The presentation highlighted the Act’s women-centric and inclusive provisions, including:

• Reservation of at least one-third beneficiaries for women

• Priority asset creation for women-headed households

• Special Rozgar Guarantee Cards for single women

• Provision of crèche facilities at worksites

• Strengthened grievance redressal mechanisms to ensure dignified participation

The Act also balances rural employment with agricultural needs by allowing flexibility during peak farming seasons, while prioritising projects that enhance water security, livelihoods, and long-term rural sustainability.

The interaction marked a major step towards building grassroots awareness, trust, and ownership of the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025, reinforcing the government’s vision of Viksit Bharat through empowered villages and self-reliant rural communities.