Karnataka: Min Khandre sets weekend deadline for VB-G Ram G SOPs, implementation guidelines

Bengaluru, Aug 5 (IANS) Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, Eshwar B. Khandre, on Wednesday directed officials to issue comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and implementation guidelines for the revamped Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (VB-G RAM G), rural employment scheme by the end of this week.

The order has been issued following complaints that rural workers who earlier received employment under MGNREGA are not getting adequate work under the new programme, he said.

The Minister emphasised that as state is reeling under severe drought situation, the government has taken the matter seriously.

He further said, “At a time when poor in rural areas, oppressed, specially abled persons, women and Dalits do not get employed at this crisis time, the objective of the VB-G RAM G scheme will fail.”

He has instructed authorities to strictly implement the scheme, conduct door-to-door awareness campaigns, ensure employment for at least 5 lakh people daily, generate a minimum of 1.5 crore person-days of work every month, and create durable rural assets across the state.

In a directive issued to the Commissioner of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Khandre said the state government had launched the VB-G RAM G scheme with the objective of providing additional employment opportunities to rural labourers beyond the scope of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

The minister said complaints had been received from several parts of the state that labourers who had earlier been getting work under MGNREGA were not receiving sufficient employment under the new scheme.

He noted that the programme had not yet gained the expected momentum due to the absence of clear operational guidelines and inadequate awareness among officials and beneficiaries.

Khandre instructed the department to immediately prepare detailed SOPs covering all aspects of implementation, including convergence with MGNREGA, technical and administrative approvals, wage payments, execution of works, maintenance of the 60:40 labour-material ratio, monitoring mechanisms and asset creation.

The SOPs should be circulated to all Gram Panchayats, taluk and district-level officials by the end of the week, he said.

He also directed officials to launch an intensive awareness campaign by conducting door-to-door visits to inform rural households about the scheme and encourage eligible workers to enrol and seek employment under VB-G RAM G.

The minister said the department should ensure that the scheme generates employment for at least 5 lakh workers every day and creates not less than 1.5 crore person-days of employment every month.

He stressed that implementation should focus on creating permanent and productive community assets that contribute to rural development.

Khandre further instructed officials to closely monitor the programme, remove implementation bottlenecks and ensure effective coordination at all administrative levels so that the objectives of the VB-G RAM G scheme are achieved across Karnataka.

–IANS

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