The Ministry of Rural Development has notified the Schedule of Permissible Works under the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB–G RAM G] Act, 2025, providing for 375 permissible works under the new rural works framework.

The new Schedule represents a 41 percent expansion over the 266 works under the previous framework. The works have been reorganised around four thematic pillars — Water Security, Core Rural Infrastructure, Livelihood-related Infrastructure and Special Works for Extreme Weather Events and Disaster Preparedness.

The new framework seeks to move beyond a conventional list of asset types and align wage employment with the creation of durable rural assets and measurable development outcomes. Every work will originate through a bottom-up, decentralized planning process under the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan, approved by the Gram Sabha, and will be tracked through the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack.

Water Security gets highest share with 128 works

The Water Security pillar comprises 128 works, the highest among the four categories. It includes check dams, gully plugs, underground dykes, recharge shafts, injection wells, rejuvenation of rivers, rivulets and nallahs, reclamation of waterlogged land and renovation of field water-distribution channels.

The Schedule also provides for drip irrigation, sprinkler systems, rooftop rainwater harvesting and tankas, along with newer interventions such as ice-stupas and artificial glaciers for water conservation and irrigation.

111 works for Core Rural Infrastructure

The Core Rural Infrastructure pillar comprises 111 works aimed at strengthening essential civic and community infrastructure in rural areas.

These include solar street lighting, waste-to-wealth recycling plants, greywater treatment units, segregation sheds, rural libraries, veterinary and rural health centres, Common Service Centres, multipurpose youth centres, community facilities and additional classrooms and laboratories in government schools.

The framework also provides for repair and maintenance of Jal Jeevan Mission water-supply infrastructure, along with rural parks, footpaths and other village-level amenities.

98 works to strengthen rural livelihoods and value chains

The new framework gives significantly greater emphasis to Livelihood-related Infrastructure, with 98 permissible works.

The category includes agro-processing and value-addition infrastructure, cleaning, grading and packaging units, cold storage facilities, mini flour mills, market yards, dairy infrastructure, mushroom cultivation sheds, sericulture sheds, poly-houses and aquaculture structures.

It also provides infrastructure for Self-Help Groups and their federations, including SHG worksheds, SHE Marts and federation buildings, as well as training-cum-skill development centres. The share of livelihood-related works rises substantially, accounting for 26 per cent of the total permissible works under the new framework, compared with 1.1 per cent under the previous framework.

38 works dedicated to Disaster Preparedness and Climate Resilience

For the first time, a dedicated category for disaster preparedness and extreme weather events has been incorporated into the rural works framework, comprising 38 works.

These include flood relief shelters, retaining walls, embankment strengthening, flood protection works, post-disaster restoration of rural roads and community assets, and forest-fire management measures such as fire lines and fuel-buffer zones.

The category is aimed at strengthening rural communities and assets against floods, cyclones, storms, droughts, landslides, forest fires and other extreme weather events.

Focus on Farmers, Vulnerable Households, Women and Rural Youth

The Schedule places particular emphasis on agriculture, vulnerable households, women and rural youth.

A total of 181 works are agriculture and allied works, including 52 individual-beneficiary works, covering water, land, plantation, livestock and other productive assets that can directly support farmers.

107 works are tagged for Antyodaya/vulnerable households, including 68 individual-beneficiary works. These include housing, sanitation, energy, irrigation, plantations, livestock shelters and other household-level assets.

The framework also includes 36 works related to Nari Shakti and 36 works related to Yuva Shakti, covering infrastructure for women’s collectives, SHGs and federations, youth centres, skill development and enterprise-linked infrastructure.

Inclusive and Future-Ready Rural Infrastructure

The new Schedule provides explicit provisions for Divyangjan accessibility, including construction of stairs and ramps in government buildings. It also includes emergency evacuation and relief shelters in border areas, renewable-energy infrastructure and circular-economy interventions such as waste-to-wealth recycling and greywater treatment.

Works to be planned through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans

Under VB–G RAM G, works will be planned through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans, based on local needs and approved by the Gram Sabha. The digital tracking mechanism through the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack will facilitate convergence of investments across Central, State and local schemes while helping avoid duplication.

The new Schedule thus seeks to align employment generation with water security, durable rural infrastructure, livelihood creation, climate resilience and inclusive development, contributing to the vision of a Viksit Bharat @2047.

***

PU