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Bengal’s New 125-Day Rural Jobs Scheme Misses Daily Targets
West Bengal has started a new program that gives rural workers up to 125 days of work.
It replaced an older program that promised 100 days of work.
The new program has not reached its daily work target yet.
Officials say local village councils are not working smoothly in many places.
Some rules about buying materials and approving projects are also unfinished.
Online systems for submitting project plans are not working properly.
Heavy rain has flooded fields, making some jobs impossible for now.
Officials expect these problems to be fixed soon, while the government hopes the program will improve rural support.
The VB-G RAM G scheme began in Bengal on July 1, replacing the erstwhile MGNREGA 100-day scheme.
The state generated 38,792 person-days daily, below its target of 80,000 to one lakh.
Panchayat disruption, unresolved administrative procedures and malfunctioning portals slowed implementation.
Heavy rainfall and inundated fields prevented earthwork and plantation projects in many areas.
The state plans to spend about ₹14,000 crore, with the Centre contributing 60 percent and Bengal 40 percent.
- Who
- The BJP-led West Bengal government, the Centre, gram panchayats and rural workers are involved.
- What
- The VB-G RAM G 125-day rural employment scheme is falling short of its daily work-generation target.
- Where
- West Bengal, across its gram panchayats and districts.
- When
- The scheme was launched on July 1 and was assessed during its first two months.
- Why
- Implementation has been slowed by disrupted panchayats, unresolved procurement and job-convergence rules, malfunctioning portals and heavy rainfall.
Government Outlook
Implementation Concerns
Expected recovery
Government Outlook
A senior official said the administrative and operational problems were expected to be resolved within 15 days and described them as teething problems.
Implementation Concerns
Panchayat department sources said the scheme had not gained the expected momentum during its first two months.
Administrative readiness
Government Outlook
The state amended the West Bengal Panchayats Act to allow administrators to be appointed when gram panchayat chiefs do not attend office.
Implementation Concerns
Administrators had not been appointed in all affected rural bodies, while some chiefs were reportedly absent after the change of government, delaying project approvals and worker payments.
Performance and political importance
Government Outlook
The BJP-led state government is giving the scheme an all-out push and expects it to create a visible difference in rural areas.
Implementation Concerns
Districts were generally behind the target of 20 projects per gram panchayat, and a bureaucrat said the government was relying heavily on the scheme to build rural support before the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.
Key facts
- Scheme
- VB-G RAM G, a 125-day rural employment program
- Launch date
- July 1
- Daily output
- 38,792 person-days generated
- Daily target
- 80,000 to one lakh person-days
- Planned spending
- About ₹14,000 crore
- Funding split
- The Centre is to provide 60 percent and West Bengal 40 percent
- Best-performing district
- South Dinajpur, averaging 15 projects per gram panchayat
- Previous scheme
- The erstwhile MGNREGA 100-day job scheme
Quotes
Senior official
A senior official commenting on implementation difficulties in Bengal.
“The BJP-led government in the state is heavily banking on the job scheme to make the rural feel a visible difference after the change of guard. The BJP aims to win the maximum possible seats in the 2029 Lok Sabha polls from Bengal. For this, it needs rural support. The 125 days' work is the most crucial scheme for the ruling establishment in the state. That's why it is set to give an all-out thrust to the scheme for its momentum.”
telegraphindia.com
“It is expected that all these issues would be resolved in the next 15 days. As the rural job scheme was not in place in the state for years, the state is facing some teething problems.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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