The Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar And Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): Vb—G Ram G (विकसित भारत—जी राम जी)Act, 2025

SCHEDULE I

[See section 8(3)]

Minimum features of Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): VB—G

RAM G (विकवित भारत—जी राम जी) Scheme

1. The Scheme notified under section 8 of the Act by all States shall be called the “Viksit Bharat

Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): VB—G RAM G (विकवित भारत—जी राम जी)

Scheme” and all documents pertaining to the said Scheme shall have a mention of the Viksit Bharat-

Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): VB—G RAM G (विकवित भारत—जी राम जी)

Act, 2025.

2. All Scheme documents pertaining to the said Scheme shall have a mention of the Viksit—Bharat

Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): VB—G RAM G (विकवितv भारत—जी राम जी)

Act, 2025.

3. The core objectives of the Scheme shall be as follows:—(a) The primary objective of this Act is

to align the rural development framework with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 by providing

an enhanced statutory wage-employment guarantee of one hundred and twenty-five days in each

financial year to such rural households whose adult members volunteer to undertake unskilled manual

work, thereby enabling them to participate more effectively in the expanded livelihood security

framework.

(b) To focus on empowerment, growth, convergence and saturation through public works

aggregating into forming Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack, with a thematic focus on

water security through water-related works, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-related infrastructure

and special works to mitigate extreme weather events.

(c) To facilitate adequate farm-labour availability during peak agricultural seasons, and, in view of

the wage-employment guarantee for the rural workforce.

(d) To institutionalise convergence, saturation-driven planning and whole of government delivery

through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans, integrated with the PM Gati Shakti to address the varying needs

of Gram Panchayats, powered by geospatial systems, digital public infrastructure, district and State

planning mechanisms, with such plans aggregated at the Block, District, State and National levels.

(e) To modernise governance, accountability and citizen engagement through a comprehensive

digital ecosystem, including biometric authentication at various levels, global positioning system or

mobile based worksite monitoring, real time management information system dashboards, proactive

public disclosures and the use of Artificial Intelligence for planning, audits and fraud risk mitigation.

4. Works under the Scheme—(1) Focus of the Scheme-Classification of Works: The Scheme shall

focus on the following categories of works, as identified in the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans and

aggregated into the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack.

(2) For the purposes of section 4 of the Act, the works to be taken up under the Scheme, shall fall

under the following Categories, together with their thematic focus and intended outcomes, namely:—

(a) Category I—Water-Related Works (for Water Security)—

(A) The focus shall include conservation, irrigation, groundwater recharge, source sustainability,

rejuvenation of water bodies, watershed development and afforestation and the Illustrative works

include—

(i) construction of canals, flood or diversion channels, check dams, gully plugs and

underground dykes;

(ii) construction or rejuvenation of ponds, percolation tanks, recharge pits, recharge shafts,

injection wells and associated water harvesting structures;

(iii) irrigation open wells, micro-irrigation channels and field water distribution systems;

(iv) reclamation of community waterlogged land;

(v) afforestation and plantation works linked with soil and moisture conservation; and

(vi) rooftop rainwater harvesting and other decentralised recharge systems.

(B) Intended Outcomes—Strengthening of water security through integrated water resource

management, recharge and conservation for long-term climate resilience.

(b) Category II—Core Rural Infrastructure—

(A) Thematic focus shall include core civic, social, governance and service-delivery infrastructure

relating to education, health, drinking water, sanitation, connectivity, renewable energy and community

services and the Illustrative works include—

(i) construction or upgradation of rural roads, culverts, cross-drainage structures and village

connectivity facilities;

(ii) construction of Gram Panchayat Bhawans, Anganwadi centres, rural libraries and other

public buildings;

(iii) construction of school infrastructure, including kitchen sheds, additional classrooms,

laboratories, compound walls and playgrounds;

(iv) crematoria and community infrastructure;

(v) solid and liquid waste management assets, including stabilising ponds, community

sanitary complexes, and waste segregation and collection centres;

(vi) installation of solar lighting systems and other renewable rural energy infrastructure;

(vii) village parking areas, transport sheds and other common rural amenities;

(viii) rural housing works permissible under the schemes of the Central Government,

including those permitted under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin; and

(ix) repair and maintenance of works created under the Jal Jeevan Mission for ensuring water

supply.

(B) Intended Outcome—Creation of foundational civic and social infrastructure ensuring basic

amenities, improved service access and enhanced quality of life in rural areas.

(c) Category III—Livelihood-related Infrastructure—

(A) Thematic focus shall include productive assets and facilities that enhance rural livelihoods

through agriculture, livestock, fisheries, value addition, skilling and enterprise development and the

Illustrative works include—

(i) construction of training-cum-skill development centres and work sheds for livelihood

activities;

(ii) rural haats or weekly markets and other market infrastructure;

(iii) food grain storage buildings, agricultural produce storage structures, cold storage units

and other agri-value chain infrastructure;

(iv) buildings for Self Help Groups and federation-level institutions;

(v) compost structures, including vermicompost and NADEP units;

(vi) development of silvipasture grasslands, dairy infrastructure and shelters for cattle, goats,

pigs, poultry and other livestock;

(vii) fisheries-related infrastructure, including fish drying yards;

(viii) raising of nurseries and production of building material; and

(ix) Integrated projects promoting circular and cyclical economy models, as may be

approved by the Central Government.

(B) Intended Outcome—Strengthening of sustainable livelihoods, value addition, enterprise

development and self-reliant rural economies.

(d) Category IV—Special works to mitigate Extreme Weather Events and Disaster Preparedness—

(A) Thematic focus shall include disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, and protection

of rural communities and assets from floods, cyclones, storms, droughts, landslides, forest fires

and other extreme weather events and the Illustrative works include—

(i) construction of cyclone shelters, flood shelters and multipurpose disaster resilient

structures;

(ii) construction of diversion channels, embankments and other disaster-mitigation

works;

(iii) stabilising ponds and water structures for flood management;

(iv) post-disaster rehabilitation, restoration and repair of rural roads and community

assets;

(v) windbreak and shelterbelt plantations; and

(vi) forest fire management works, including fire breaks, fuel buffer zones and allied

measures.

(B) Intended Outcome—Creation of climate-resilient villages capable of withstanding

extreme weather conditions.

(3) Any other public work which may be notified by the Central Government.

(4) Maintenance of rural public assets created under the Act.

(5) Works for individual beneficiaries, including but not limited to housing-related works under

the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana—Gramin, sanitation-related works, and other beneficiary-oriented

developmental works undertaken under various schemes of the Central Government from time to time

and expressly notified for inclusion under the Scheme, may also be taken up. The eligibility of such

beneficiaries shall be as notified by the Central Government, aligned with the eligibility criteria

specified under the respective Central Government schemes, with all such works conforming to the

norms, standards and guidelines issued by the Central Government.

(6) Without prejudice to the generality of the above, works creating individual assets as notified

by the Central Government shall be prioritised on land or homestead owned by households belonging

to—

(a) the Scheduled Castes;

(b) the Scheduled Tribes;

(c) nomadic tribes;

(d) denotified tribes;

(e) economically weaker sections of the society as identified based on criteria notified by the

Central Government;

(f) women-headed households;

(g) households headed by persons with disabilities;

(h) beneficiaries of land reforms;

(i) beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana—Gramin (PMAY-G); and

(j) beneficiaries under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers

(Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (2 of 2007), and

after exhausting the eligible beneficiaries under the above categories, works may be taken up on the

lands of small or marginal farmers as identified on the basis of criteria notified by the Central

Government, subject to such conditions as may be notified by the Central Government, including the

requirement that such households possess a valid job card and have at least one adult member willing

to work on the project undertaken on their land or homestead.

5. Participatory Planning under the Scheme:—(1) All Central, State or local schemes, as may be

notified by the Central Government for the purpose of convergence and saturation-based planning, shall

be brought under a unified planning process anchored in the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans.

(2) There shall be a systematic and participatory planning exercise undertaken at each tier of the

Panchayati Raj system in accordance with the specified methodology. The Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans

shall be prepared by the Gram Panchayats using GIS-based tools, PM Gati Shakti layers and other

digital public infrastructure, and placed before the Gram Sabha for approval. Works proposed to be

undertaken by the Intermediate Panchayat, District Panchayat or other implementing agencies shall

likewise be placed before the respective Panchayats along with the expected outputs and outcomes. The

Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans shall be aggregated at the Block, District and State levels to ensure

coherence with sectoral priorities, broader rural development strategies, and saturation-based planning

for comprehensive coverage of eligible assets and outcomes across all Gram Panchayats. All works

emerging from the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans shall be consolidated into the Viksit Bharat National

Rural Infrastructure Stack.

(3) Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan—Every Gram Panchayat shall prepare saturation-mode plans

based on its classification into Category A, B, C, etc., determined based on development parameters,

including proximity to urban areas, to address the varying needs of the Panchayats. All such works shall

be drawn exclusively from the approved Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan, prepared using PM Gati Shakti,

GIS-based tools and other digital public infrastructure.

(4) The works identified in the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans shall be executed through various

Central, State and local schemes in convergence. The schemes to be taken up for such convergence

shall be notified by the Central Government.

6. Framework for Convergence and Integrated Planning—A Unified Convergence Framework

shall be established for coherent planning, execution and monitoring of all works undertaken in rural

areas, and for this purpose—

(1) All Central, State or local schemes, as may be notified by the Central Government for the

purpose of convergence and saturation-based planning, shall be brought under a unified planning

process anchored in the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans.

(2) All existing assets and proposed works, whether funded under this Act or through any

other Central, State or local scheme, shall be mandatorily registered and tracked through the Viksit

Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack using the designated digital portal, which shall maintain

a comprehensive register of rural public works, prevent duplication, integrate departmental

investments, and align all works with saturation outcomes.

(3) The Ministry of Rural Development shall prepare and periodically update the management

information system, a nationally harmonised, single digital backbone for rural public works

covering water security, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-related infrastructure, and special

works to mitigate extreme weather events; and all planning shall follow a strict bottom-up process

beginning with the preparation of the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan, which shall be successively

aggregated at the Block, District and State levels, and the aggregated State Plan shall be placed

before the State Level Steering Committee for approval.

(4) Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack shall guide States, Districts and

Panchayati Raj Institutions in identifying priority infrastructure gaps, standardising work designs,

and ensuring that public investments contribute measurably to saturation outcomes at the Gram

Panchayat, Block and District levels.

(5) This institutional architecture shall ensure a single-plan, multi-funding approach, promote

convergence across departments and schemes, and align all rural development efforts with the

Viksit Bharat @2047 vision of creating productive, resilient and transformative rural assets.

7. Intra-State distribution of normative Allocation—The State Government shall, upon receipt of

the approved normative allocation from the Central Government, ensure equitable, need-based and

transparent intra-State distribution of the allocation across districts and Gram Panchayats, taking into

consideration the categorisation of Gram Panchayats and the assessed local needs for determining Gram

Panchayat-wise allocations and corresponding district allocations; and the detailed methodology,

parameters and procedural requirements for such distribution shall be notified by the Central

Government.

8. Completion of Ongoing Works—At the time of opening new works, it shall be ensured that

ongoing or incomplete works are prioritised for completion, subject to planning norms and the approved

Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans.

9. Technical Estimates and Standards for Works—Every work under this Act shall have a

technical estimate and design sanctioned by an authority authorised by the State Government, based on

the framework aligned with the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack.

10. For works involving construction, appropriate labour-intensive technologies, depending upon

the availability of labour and the use of local materials, shall be employed to the extent feasible.

11. Bills of quantities shall use clear and commonly understood terminology to ensure

transparency for all stakeholders.

12. Each work shall have a summary of the estimate, design and a technical note indicating the

expected outputs and outcomes.

13. All technical estimates, designs and outcome notes shall be generated or uploaded through

digital systems integrated with the designated management information system.

14. Administrative and Financial Sanctions—(1) Works finalised at the Gram Panchayat level

through the approved Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan and aggregated at the Block and District levels shall

be accorded administrative or financial sanction by the competent authority as per the requirements and

within thirty days.

(2) The sanctioning authorities shall ensure that-

(a) the proposed works are drawn exclusively from the approved Viksit Gram Panchayat

Plan;

(b) the works are consistent with thematic domains, and the Viksit Bharat National Rural

Infrastructure Stack;

(c) all sanctioned works are taken up through the designated digital portal under the Act.

15. Muster Rolls and Attendance Systems—The muster rolls for works undertaken under this Act

shall be maintained through digital systems and shall comply with the following requirements—

(a) Each muster roll shall be in English and the local language and have a unique electronically

generated identity number (e-muster) issued through the management information system. The

muster roll shall include the names of all workers who have demanded or been allocated work

and shall be authenticated by the authorised functionary of the Gram Panchayat or the Programme

Officer.

(b) Attendance at the worksite shall be recorded daily by an authorised person using biometric

attendance systems, and all attendance details shall be made available for public viewing on a

daily basis through the designated management information system.

(c) e-Muster rolls shall be processed by officials in the manner stipulated under the relevant

guidelines.

16. Measurement and Basis for Payment—(1) Payment of wages shall only be made based on

measurements taken at the worksite by authorised technical personnel within three days of the closure

of the muster roll, and recorded digitally through systems integrated with the designated management

information system.

(2) The State Government shall ensure the deployment of adequate technical personnel to enable

timely measurement. Suitable persons may be trained and deployed, with delegated technical

responsibilities, and shall be paid wages at skilled rates.

17. Wage Linkage to Output and Schedule of Rates—The State Government shall ensure that

wages without any gender bias are linked to the quantum of work completed, in accordance with the

Rural Schedule of Rates notified on the basis of time-and-motion studies for different types of work

and different seasons, and revised periodically.

18. Special Schedule of Rates for Vulnerable Groups A separate Schedule of Rates shall be

finalised for women, the elderly, persons with disabilities and persons with debilitating ailments to

facilitate their productive participation in suitable categories of work.

19. Working Hours and Earning Norms—(a) The Schedule of Rates shall be framed so that an

adult person working for eight hours, inclusive of one hour of rest, can earn an amount equivalent to

the notified wage rate.

(b) Working hours of an adult worker may be flexible but shall not extend beyond twelve hours

in a day, including intervals for rest.

20. Material Component—For all works undertaken under this Act, the cost of the material

component shall not exceed forty per cent. at the District level.

21. Execution Without Contractors-

(1) No contractor shall be engaged for the execution of any work or component financed through

expenditure under this Act. All such works shall be executed directly by the implementing agencies in

accordance with the processes laid down under the Act, including mandatory proactive disclosures and

the social audit process.

(2) In cases of convergence where components of a work are financed under other schemes, the

execution of those components may follow the norms of the converging scheme, including the use of

contractors where permitted.

22. As far as practicable, works executed by the programme implementation agencies shall be

performed by using manual labour and no labour displacing machines shall be used.

23. Transparent Procurement of Materials—All materials required for the execution of works

shall be procured by the Gram Panchayat or the implementing agency through transparent procurement

systems, including e-tendering processes, as specified by the State Government.

24. Out of the administrative costs allowed under the Scheme, at least one-third shall be utilised

at the Gram Panchayat level to employ and pay the Gram Rozgar Sahayak, other technical personnel as

per the work done and for other administrative expenses.

25. Transparency and Accountability—(1) Every Scheme prepared under this Act shall contain

comprehensive provisions to ensure transparency and accountability at all levels of implementation,

including Mandatory Public Disclosure and social audit.

(2) Mandatory Public Disclosure—(a) Mandatory Public disclosure shall be undertaken through

digital systems integrated with the designated management information system and displayed at the

village level for public scrutiny.

(b) Display at every worksite a “Janata Board” indicating details of the work, estimated labour

days, material quantities in local terminology, and item-wise costs.

(c) Digital and physical display of number of days of employment provided, wage payments,

material payments, guarantees under the Act, works approved under the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan,

and year-wise works taken up or completed by the Gram Panchayat and other implementing agencies.

(d) Public disclosure of all information relating to works, labour demand, employment

provided, payments, material utilisation and physical progress under this Act shall be carried out

through digital systems integrated with the designated portal. Weekly disclosures shall be automatically

generated and displayed in a publicly accessible physical and digital formats. In addition, the Gram

Panchayat shall convene weekly disclosure meetings in the Gram Panchayat Bhawan to present the

status of works, payments, grievances and other relevant information before the community.

(e) The Ministry of Rural Development and the State Departments shall ensure that their official

websites are regularly updated in compliance with clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 4 of the Right

to Information Act, 2005 (22 of 2005), with all information on the Act available in free, downloadable

electronic form.

(3) Social audit—(a) all works, expenditures and guarantees under this Act shall be subject to

social audit at least once every six months in the manner as may be prescribed by the Central

Government;

(b) the procedure, standards and modalities for conducting social audits shall be as prescribed in

the rules made under this Act;

(c) until such rules are notified, the provisions of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural

Employment Guarantee Audit of Schemes Rules, 2011 shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to the conduct of

social audits under this Act.

(4) Concurrent evaluation mechanism-For ensuring measurable outcomes and real-time

accountability, technology-enabled monitoring shall be mandated for tracking work execution and post-

completion asset outcomes, supported by verified data systems and spatial technologies. Weekly public

disclosures shall be reinforced through a comprehensive transparency framework. A Concurrent

Evaluation Mechanism, as may be specified by the Central Government through guidelines, shall

provide continuous vigilance and enable timely corrective action.

26. Recovery of misappropriated amounts—

(1) Any misappropriation of amounts spent under the Act shall be recoverable under the relevant

revenue laws for recovery prevailing in the State.

(2) The portion of such recoveries pertaining to the Central share shall be remitted to the

Consolidated Fund of India through the mechanism established by the Central Government.

27. Inspection and Quality Control—The State Government shall ensure regular inspection and

supervision of works by designated quality-control teams to verify adherence to quality standards,

accuracy of measurements and conformity of wage payments to the actual quantum of work executed.

Inspection reports shall be uploaded to the management information system.

28. Grievance Redressal Mechanism—An effective grievance redressal mechanism shall be

established under the Act, comprising the following components, namely:—

(a) Institutional mechanisms for receiving grievances at the Ward, Gram Panchayat, Block and

District levels, with at least one designated day each week when officials shall be mandatorily available

to receive grievances;

(b) Issuance of a dated acknowledgement for all grievances submitted in writing, telephonically,

online, or orally to any authorised functionary;

(c) Enquiry through spot verification or inspection and disposal shall be completed within seven

working days of receipt of the grievance;

(d) Upon completion of the enquiry, the concerned authority shall initiate immediate corrective

action, and the grievance shall be resolved within fifteen days;

(e) Failure to dispose of a grievance within seven working days at the level determined, shall

be treated as a contravention of the provisions of this Act and shall attract action in accordance with

section 27 or any corresponding provision of this Act;

(f) Where prima facie evidence of financial irregularity is revealed during preliminary enquiry

or through findings of the social audit report, the District Programme Coordinator shall, after obtaining

legal advice, ensure that a First Information Report is lodged and necessary proceedings initiated;

(g) The concerned authority shall inform the complainant in writing, physically or digitally, of

the conclusions of the enquiry and the steps taken for redressal;

(h) Action taken on grievances received by all implementing agencies shall be placed before

the meetings of the Intermediate Panchayat and the District Panchayat for review and monitoring;

(i) Appeals against the orders of the Gram Panchayat shall lie before the Programme Officer;

appeals against the orders of the Programme Officer shall lie before the District Programme

Coordinator; appeals against the orders of the District Programme Coordinator shall lie before the State

Grievance Redressal Authority or any officer designated by the State Government;

(j) All appeals shall be filed within forty-five days from the date of the order;

(k) All appeals shall be disposed of within thirty days from the date of receipt;

(l) Any grievance not resolved within fifteen days at the Ward, Gram Panchayat, Block or

District level shall be automatically escalated to the next higher level through digital systems integrated

with the designated management information system, and such escalations shall be continuously

monitored electronically.

29. Ombudsperson—The State Government shall appoint an Ombudsperson for each District

to receive grievances, conduct enquiries and issue awards in accordance with the guidelines notified by

the Central and the State Governments. The Ombudsperson shall operate through digital platforms

integrated with the designated digital portal under this Act.

30. Action for Contravention—Wherever contravention of any provision of this Act is

established after due enquiry by the State Government, the District Programme Coordinator, the

Programme Officer, the Ombudsperson or any other authority authorised by the State Government,

action shall be taken in accordance with section 27 of this Act or any corresponding provision.

31. Annual Reporting—The District Programme Coordinator, the Programme Officer and each

Gram Panchayat shall prepare an annual report detailing facts, figures and achievements relating to the

implementation of the Scheme within their jurisdiction. A copy of such report shall be made available

to the public in physical or electronic form, on payment of such fee as may be specified in the Scheme.

32. All accounts and records including muster rolls relating to the scheme shall be made

available for public scrutiny free of cost. Any person desirous of obtaining a copy or relevant extracts

therefrom may be provided such copies or extracts on demand not later than three working days from

the date of receipt of application.

33. Capacity Building and Strengthening Panchayats—There shall be a dedicated plan for

training, Information Education Communication, digital literacy and strengthening Panchayati Raj

Institutions.

SCHEDULE II

[See section 9(2)]

1. Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card—(1) Household Registration—The adult member of every

household residing in any rural area and willing to undertake unskilled manual work, may submit the

names, ages and address of the household to the Gram Panchayat within whose jurisdiction they reside,

for the purpose of registration of the household and issuance of a Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card.

(2) Special Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card, where the job seeker is—

(a) a single woman; or

(b) a person with disability; or

(c) persons above sixty years of age; or

(d) a released bonded labourer; or

(e) a person belonging to a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group; or

(f) a transgender person.

(3) The Special Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card of a distinct colour, shall ensure special protection

in the providing work, work evaluation, and worksite facilities, as applicable.

(4) It shall be the duty of the Gram Panchayat, after making such enquiry, as it deems fit, to issue

a Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card within fifteen days from the date of receipt of such application,

containing therein a unique Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card number with details of the registered adult

members of the household, their photos, Bank or Post office account number, insurance policy number

and the Aadhaar numbers, if any.

(5) The Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card issued, shall be valid for three years, after which it may

be renewed after due verification.

(6) No Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card shall be cancelled except on any of the following

grounds—

(a) where it is found to be a duplicate;

(b) where the entire household has permanently migrated to a place outside the jurisdiction of

the Gram Panchayat and no longer resides in the village; or

(c) where all adult members of the registered household are deceased.

(7) The State Government shall make arrangements for updating the following details in the

Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card regularly while mentioning the key guarantees under the Act are clearly

listed as follows:—

(a) number of days for which work was demanded;

(b) number of days of work allocated;

(c) description of the work allocated along with the muster roll number;

(d) measurement details;

(e) unemployment allowance, if any, paid;

(f) date-wise amount of wages paid;

(g) delay compensation paid if any;

(h) asset provided, if any.

2. Demand for work—(1) Every adult member of a registered household whose name appears in

the Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card, shall be entitled to apply for unskilled manual work under the

Scheme; and every such application shall be compulsorily registered, and a receipt issued with the date,

which shall be entered in the given digital platform.

(2) The State shall proactively verify the requirements of the Vulnerable Groups and provide them

with work.

(3) Application for work may be oral or written and made to the Ward member or to the Gram

Panchayat or to the Programme Officer or any person authorised by the State Government or through

digital platforms, or through any other means authorised by the State Government.

(4) Applications for work may be filed individually or for a group together.

(5) There shall be no limit on the number of days of employment for which a person may apply, or

on the number of days of employment actually provided to him subject to the aggregate guarantee of

the household.

(6) Normally, applications for work must be for at least six days of continuous work.

(7) Provision shall be made in the Scheme for advance application, that is, application which may

be submitted earlier than the date from which employment is sought.

(8) Provision shall be made in the Scheme for submission of multiple applications by the same

person provided that the corresponding periods for which employment is sought do not overlap.

3. Allocation of work—(1) The Gram Panchayat and Programme Officer shall ensure that every

applicant shall be provided unskilled manual work in accordance with the provisions of the Scheme

within fifteen days of receipt of an application or the date from which he seeks work in case of advance

application, whichever is later.

(2) Priority shall be given to women in such a way that at least one-third of the beneficiaries shall

be women who have registered and requested for work. Efforts to increase participation of single

women and the person with disabilities shall be made.

(3) Applicants who are provided with work shall be so intimated in writing, by means of a letter

sent to him at the address given in the Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card or through any other effective

mode of communication or by a public notice displayed at the office of the Panchayats at district,

intermediate or village level.

(4) A list of persons who are provided with the work shall be displayed on the notice board of the

Gram Panchayat and at the office of the Programme Officer and at such other place as the Programme

Officer may deem necessary and the list shall be open for inspection by the State Government and any

interested person.

(5) As far as possible, the employment shall be provided within a radius of five kilometers of the

village where the applicant resides at the time of applying.

(6) A new work under the Scheme can be commenced if at least ten labourers become available for

work, provided that this condition shall not be applicable for new works, as determined by the State

Government, in hilly areas and in respect of afforestation works.

(7) In case the employment is provided outside the radius specified in sub-paragraph (5) of

paragraph 3, it shall be provided within the Block, and the labourers shall be paid ten per cent. of the

wage rate as extra wages to meet additional transportation and expenses for living.

(8) A period of employment shall be for at least six days continuously, with not more than six days

in a week.

4. Worksite management—(1) For the purpose of transparency at the worksite, the following shall

be ensured—

(a) there shall be a project initiation meeting in which various provisions of the work shall be

explained to the workers;

(b) a copy of the sanction work order shall be available for public inspection at the worksite;

(c) measurement record of each work and details of the workers shall be available for public

inspection;

(d) a Citizens' Information Board shall be put up at every worksite and updated regularly in the

manner specified by the Central Government;

(e) the vigilance and Monitoring Committee set up according to the instructions of the Central

Government may check all works and its evaluation report will be recorded in the Works Register

in the format specified by the Central Government and submitted to the Gram Sabha during the

Social Audit.

(2) The facilities of safe drinking water, shade for children and periods of rest, first aid box with

adequate material for emergency treatment for minor injuries and other health hazards connected with

the work being performed shall be provided at the worksite.

(3) In case the number of children below the age of five years accompanying the women working

at any site is five or more, provisions shall be made to depute one of such women workers to look after

such children. The person so deputed shall be paid wage rate.

5. Welfare—(1) If any personal injury is caused to any person employed under the Scheme by any

accident arising out of and in the course of his employment, he shall be entitled to such medical

treatment as required, free of cost.

(2) Where hospitalisation of the injured worker is necessary, the State Government shall arrange

for such hospitalisation including accommodation, treatment, medicines and payment of daily

allowance which is not less than half of the wage rate.

(3) If a person employed under the Scheme meets with death or becomes permanently disabled by

accident arising out of and in the course of employment, he or his legal heirs, as the case may be, shall

be paid by the implementing agency an ex gratia as per entitlement under the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha

Bima Yojana or as may be notified by the Central Government.

(4) If any personal injury is caused by accident to a child accompanying a person who is employed

under the Scheme, such person shall be entitled to medical treatment free of cost; and in case of death

or disablement of the child due to the said accident, ex gratia shall be paid to the legal guardians as

determined by the State Government.

6. Wage payment—(1) In case the payment of wages is not made within fifteen days from the date

of closure of the muster roll, the wage seekers shall be entitled to receive payment of compensation for

the delay, at the rate of 0.05% of the unpaid wages per day of delay beyond the sixteenth day of closure

of muster roll.

(2) Any delay in payment of compensation beyond a period of fifteen days from the date it becomes

payable, shall be considered in the same manner as the delay in payment of wages.

(3) For the purpose of ensuring accountability in payment of wages and to calculate culpability of

various functionaries or agencies, the States shall divide the processes leading to determination and

payment of wages into various stages such as,—

(a) measurement of work;

(b) computerising the muster rolls;

(c) computerising the measurements;

(d) generation of wage lists; and

(e) uploading Fund Transfer Orders (FTOs), and specify stage-wise maximum time limits along

with the functionary or agency which is responsible for discharging the specific function.

(4) The computer system shall have a provision to automatically calculate the compensation

payable based on the date of closure of the muster roll and the date of deposit of wages in the

accounts of the wage seekers.

(5) The State Government shall pay the compensation upfront after due verification within the time

limits as specified above and recover the compensation amount from the functionaries or agencies

who are responsible for the delay in payment.

(6) It shall be the duty of the District Programme Coordinator or Programme Officer to ensure that

the system is operationalise.

(7) The number of days of delay, the compensation payable and actually paid shall be reflected in

the Management Information System.

(8) Effective implementation of sub-paragraph (1) shall be considered necessary for the purposes

of section 29 of the Act.

7. The payment of wages shall, unless so exempted by the Central Government, be made through

the individual savings accounts of the workers in the relevant Banks or Post Offices.

8. In case of employment provided under the Scheme, there shall be no discrimination solely on

the ground of gender and the provisions of the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 (25 of 1976), shall be

complied with.

9. Record maintenance and grievance redressal system—The Gram Panchayat shall prepare and

maintain or cause to be prepared and maintained such registers, vouchers and other documents in such

form and in such manner as may be specified in the Scheme containing particulars of Gramin Rozgar

Guarantee Cards and pass books issued, name, age and address of the head of the household and the

adult members of the households registered with the Gram Panchayat.

10. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Schedule, in the event of any national calamity

such as flood, cyclone, tsunami and earthquake resulting in mass dislocation of rural population, the

adult members of rural households of areas so affected may—

(a) seek for registration and get Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card issued by the Gram Panchayat

or Programme Officer of the area of temporary relocation;

(b) submit written or oral applications for work to the Programme Officer or the Gram

Panchayat of the area of temporary relocation; and

(c) apply for re-registration and re-issuance of Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card in the event of

any loss or destruction.

(2) The details of such Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards shall be intimated to the District

Programme Coordinator.

(3) In the event of restoration of normalcy, the Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card so issued shall be

re-endorsed at original place of habitation and clubbed with the original Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card

on being retrieved.

(4) The number of days of employment provided shall be counted while computing 125 days of

guaranteed employment per household.

11. Every worker shall have an opportunity of being heard and register any grievance either orally

or in writing, at all implementation levels for disposal as per the provisions of the Grievance Redressal

Mechanism under the Scheme.