Labour experts and activists on Sunday cited a substantial reduction in allocations under a key employment-linked incentive (ELI) scheme and "inadequate" funds provision for the national rural job scheme VB-G RAM G to question the government's commitment to direct job creation. Experts believe that the allocation is much less than the required funds, as the VB-G RAM G scheme seeks to increase the guaranteed days of employment per year per household to 125 days from 100 days under the MGNREGA. The ELI and VB-G RAM G schemes are aimed at creating jobs directly. Sundar said the VB-G RAM G scheme might see a decline in popularity and performance as the funds-sharing formula had changed. The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha, a civil society organisation, said the budget documents also gave no indication on when the VB-G RAM G scheme would be notified and what the state-wise “normative allocations” were likely to be.

Source: The Telegraph February 02, 2026 02:03 UTC