Agartala, February 11, 2026: Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha on Wednesday asserted that the newly introduced VB-GRAMG Act has been framed with a clear focus on accelerating rural development and minimizing corruption in employment guarantee schemes.
Addressing the State-Level Programme commemorating the launch of VB-GRAMG at Swami Vivekananda Maidan, Dr. Saha inaugurated multiple projects of the Rural Development Department in the presence of Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Chouhan, the Act was introduced to correct shortcomings in the earlier MNREGA system. He alleged that opposition parties attempted to mislead the public with misinformation following the introduction of the new legislation.
“This Act has been framed keeping rural development at its core. If villages do not progress, neither the state nor the nation can move forward,” Dr. Saha said, reiterating the Prime Minister’s vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Prayaas.”
Highlighting the need for reform, he stated that workers earlier faced issues such as middlemen interference and lack of accountability. “To safeguard workers and eliminate irregularities, the VB-GRAMG Act 2025 has been brought. Its objective is to rectify the defaults of MNREGA and ensure better implementation,” he added.
Dr. Saha informed that the Act guarantees 125 days of work, up from the earlier 100 days, and emphasizes durable infrastructure creation, digital tracking, accountability, and transparency. “This marks a significant shift in India’s rural employment strategy,” he said.
Among those present were MP Biplab Kumar Deb, Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy, Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Tinku Roy, ARDD and SC Welfare Minister Sudhangshu Das, Panchayat Minister Kishor Barman, Industry and Commerce Minister Santana Chakma, Secretary Abhishek Singh, MLAs, Sabhadhipatis, and other dignitaries.
