Chennai, Oct 20: The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday announced an additional 25 days of wage employment from the state exchequer for rural households already eligible under the national VB‑G RAM G scheme, raising the state entitlement to 150 days of paid work per year for qualifying families.
State top‑up follows repeal of MGNREGA
The move follows the Centre's repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, and the roll‑out of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) — abbreviated VB‑G RAM G — which guarantees a statutory floor of 125 days of wage employment. Reviewing the scheme's implementation in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay directed officials to provide an extra 25 days from the state budget for households that complete the 125 days under the central entitlement.
Funding, priority groups and administrative steps
The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department (RD‑PRD) has issued an administrative order authorising the additional person‑days and earmarking funds under a new head of account titled "VETRI 150". The government has approved a financial sanction of ₹100 crore from the revised estimates for 2026–27 to meet the cost of the supplementary 25 days.
Priority for the extra days will be given to the most vulnerable rural families. The order lists the following categories for prioritisation:
- women‑headed households;
- single women;
- households with persons with disabilities;
- Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes;
- beneficiaries recognised under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
The RD‑PRD commissioner has been empowered to release and monitor disbursement of the additional person‑days across districts. The order specifically excludes the Chennai municipal area from this state top‑up allocation.
Implementation and likely local impact
Officials said the state top‑up is meant to protect household incomes in rural Tamil Nadu following the shift from the MGNREGA framework to the new central guarantee. By increasing the maximum permissible days to 150 per household, the state seeks to preserve, and in some cases expand, livelihood opportunities available through public works programmes in villages.
Rural employment schemes typically fund local infrastructure and natural‑resource projects — such as road repairs, water conservation, afforestation and land development — while providing daily wage income to participants. Extending days increases potential person‑days of work and the volume of locally executed works.
Practical information for beneficiaries
Key administrative points beneficiaries should note:
- The additional 25 days are available only to households that have completed the statutory 125 days under VB‑G RAM G.
- Priority will be administered on the basis of household vulnerability categories specified by the RD‑PRD.
- Disbursement and monitoring will be handled by the RD‑PRD through district machinery; Chennai is excluded from the scheme top‑up.
| Item | Central guarantee | Tamil Nadu top‑up |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum statutory days | 125 days | — |
| Additional state days | — | 25 days (bringing total to 150) |
| Funding sanctioned | Central budget | ₹100 crore (revised estimate 2026–27) |
| Priority groups | Not specified here | Women‑headed, single women, PWD households, SC/ST, forest rights beneficiaries |
Officials and next steps
The RD‑PRD order directs the department to operationalise the extra person‑days through district administrations. The RD‑PRD commissioner has been given authority to allocate funds and oversee execution. District collectors and block‑level officers will be responsible for identifying eligible households, scheduling works and ensuring payment of wages under the new head.
State sources said decisions on expanding the quantum of works, updating state guidelines and issuing implementing instructions to panchayats will follow in the coming weeks. The government has framed the measure as a targeted welfare top‑up to shield needy rural families from any shortfall arising during the transition to the new central scheme.
Administrative clarifications and a detailed operational circular from the RD‑PRD are expected to be released shortly, spelling out procedures for registration, job cards or the equivalent records to be used, and the modalities for wage payment under the "VETRI 150" head.
By Selvan Murugesan, Chennai correspondent
