₹300 Minimum Wage Rule Begins: What changes for rural workers under VB-G RAM G?

A new rural wage system has come into effect with a ₹300 minimum daily pay guarantee under VB-G RAM G. The revision raises wages across India, aiming to reduce regional gaps and strengthen rural livelihoods.

New Delhi: The Ministry of Rural Development has introduced revised wage rates under the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, starting July 1. The new system coincides with the nationwide launch of the government’s successor programme to MGNREGS.

A key feature of the revision is the introduction of a ₹300 interim base wage, ensuring that no notified daily wage under the rural employment programme falls below this level.

The ministry said the move is designed to increase earnings, reduce differences between states and strengthen the dignity of rural labour.

Wage Rates Increased Across India

The revised rates apply to all 34 states, Union Territories and wage regions. Around 21 states and administrative units have been brought up to the new minimum wage benchmark.

The national average notified wage has increased from ₹298.8 per day under MGNREGA to ₹327.4 per day under VB-G RAM G. This represents an average rise of ₹28.6 per day, marking a significant increase compared with the earlier structure.

Biggest Gains For Lower-Wage States

The highest wage increases have been targeted at regions that historically recorded lower rural wages. States including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have received major revisions.

Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland saw some of the largest percentage increases, with hikes of nearly 24.5%. Several other states, including Uttarakhand, Tripura, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, also received substantial increases.

Higher-Wage States Also See Revision

States that already had wages above the new base rate have also received upward adjustments. Haryana now has the highest notified wage among regular wage regions at ₹409 per day, followed by Goa and Kerala with rates above ₹400.

Government Highlights Rural Development Push

Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the revised wages, along with the expansion of guaranteed employment to 125 days under the new law, are aimed at improving rural incomes.

The ministry added that the updated wage framework combines annual indexation with the new base rate to create a more transparent and balanced system for rural workers across the country.