Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 14: Former Minister and MLA Jammu , North, Sham Lal Sharma today said that the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 is a landmark and transformative rural employment and livelihood legislation aimed at providing guaranteed employment of 125 days per rural household per year, thereby ensuring greater income stability and livelihood security.
Talking to reporters here, along with Surinder Bhagat, MLA Marh; Nand Kishore Sharma, president, BJP Jammu North district, Ayodhya Gupta, Prabhari Jammu North, general secretary; Bhuvnesh Mehta, and Raveesh Mengi, convener, Yash Pal Sharma, Rakesh Singh , Shamsher Prajaparti, Robin Karwal and Mandal presidents Sham Lal stated that the Act represents a decisive shift from symbolic assurances to a legally enforceable, transparent, and outcome-oriented development framework.
He emphasized that the scheme moves beyond short-term wage support and focuses on sustainable rural development through the creation of durable assets such as rural roads, irrigation and drainage systems, water conservation and harvesting structures, flood protection works, and essential community infrastructure. These assets are designed to strengthen agriculture, rural connectivity, and village-level economic activities.
Sham Lal Sharma highlighted that the VB-G RAM G Act integrates employment with skill development and self-reliance, expanding opportunities from unskilled labour to semi-skilled and skilled work. The scheme promotes agri-based enterprises, traditional occupations, rural entrepreneurship, women-led Self-Help Groups, and youth-driven initiatives, supported by modern technology and planning mechanisms to ensure dignified livelihoods in rural areas.
Strong emphasis has been laid on transparency and accountability under the Act, he said. Time-bound wage payments with provisions for automatic compensation in case of delays, along with social audits, geo-tagging, digital monitoring, and strict verification mechanisms, will eliminate corruption, fake muster rolls, and leakages. The objective is to ensure that benefits reach genuine beneficiaries without harassment or delay.
Sham Sharma reiterated that Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Gram Sabhas form the backbone of the VB-G RAM G Act. Panchayats will play a decisive role in planning, execution, and monitoring of works, ensuring genuine decentralisation, community participation, and grassroots accountability. This approach strengthens democratic institutions at the village level and ensures that development priorities are locally identified and implemented.
Placing the scheme within the larger national framework, Sham Sharma stated that Viksit Bharat 2047 envisions a fully developed, self-reliant, and inclusive India by the centenary year of Independence.
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