New Delhi: The Ministry of Rural Development on Tuesday issued new daily wage rates under the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, taking effect July 1, the same day the Centre’s replacement for MGNREGA, VB‑G RAM G, launched nationwide.
For the first time in the programme’s history, the government has established an interim national floor wage of ₹300 a day, guaranteeing that no notified regional wage will fall below that amount. The ministry framed the change as a move to lift pay, reduce inter‑regional differences and reaffirm the dignity of work.
Widespread Increases, Average Up By Over 10%
Wages were raised across all 34 states, Union Territories and wage regions. Under the new structure, the national average notified wage has climbed from ₹298.8 per day under MGNREGA to ₹327.4 per day under VB‑G RAM G — a rise of ₹28.6 per day, or more than 10% on average. Twenty‑one states and administrative units have been brought up to the new ₹300 minimum.
Biggest Gains Aimed At Low‑Wage States
The largest percentage increases — generally in the 15–25% band — were concentrated in states that previously had the lowest pay, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland posted the largest proportional boosts, at nearly 24.5%. Notable hikes were also recorded in Uttarakhand, Tripura, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. Prior to this revision, the lowest notified wage had been ₹241 per day.
Higher‑Paid Regions Also Adjusted
Regions that already paid above the new floor received further revisions under the ministry’s prescribed methodology. Notified rates in some states now exceed ₹360 and reach up to ₹409. Haryana recorded the highest notified wage among regular regions at ₹409, while special high‑altitude rates in Sikkim’s gram panchayats stand at ₹450. Goa’s rate is ₹406 and Kerala’s is ₹401. Under the old system, only one wage region exceeded the ₹400 mark.
Policy Context & Minister’s Remarks
Union Rural Development and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the wage revision, together with extending guaranteed work to 125 days under the new act, was intended to ensure “the largest increase” reached states with historically low wages, bolster rural incomes and speed up development.
Methodology & government goals
The ministry explained the revised pay scales combine annual indexation with the newly introduced interim base, using what it described as a transparent, scientific method meant to narrow historical disparities in rural pay. Officials tied the revision to broader government aims under Garib Kalyan, Antyodaya and Viksit Bharat @2047.
