VB-GRAM-G Rolls Out in AP with 125-Day Job Guarantee and Focus on Lasting Rural Assets

Andhra Pradesh on Thursday emerged as the launchpad for one of the Centre’s most ambitious rural development initiatives, with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu , Union Rural Development and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan , and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan jointly launching the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission–Grameen (VB-GRAM-G) in Tirupati district. The scheme is being positioned as a major upgrade to India’s rural employment framework, combining livelihood security with large-scale infrastructure creation.

The programme was launched at Mukkuvaripalle village in Obulavaripalle mandal of Railway Koduru constituency. Under the VB-GRAM-G Act, 2025 , eligible rural households will be entitled to 125 days of guaranteed wage employment annually, an increase from the 100 days offered under the earlier employment guarantee system.

As part of the launch, the leaders inaugurated development works including a community rainwater conservation pond , a magic drain , and a plantation project. Beneficiaries were also issued job cards, while the official mission portal and programme literature were unveiled.

Addressing a large public gathering, Chandrababu Naidu said the scheme would play a transformative role in strengthening village economies and improving rural infrastructure. He announced that Andhra Pradesh would receive ₹7,700 crore from the Centre , while the state would contribute another ₹4,000 crore , taking the total investment under the programme to nearly ₹11,700 crore .

The Chief Minister said the focus would be on creating durable community assets such as roads, drainage systems, irrigation channels, water conservation structures and plantations. He emphasized that the programme would be implemented with complete transparency through geo-tagging, biometric attendance, digital payments, and real-time monitoring systems .

Highlighting the state's previous achievements in rural development, Naidu said earlier employment programmes had generated 55.4 crore person-days of work with an expenditure of ₹16,695 crore , resulting in thousands of kilometres of roads, farm ponds and infrastructure projects in tribal regions. For the coming year, the government has set targets to build 10,000 km of gravel roads , 1,500 km of cement roads , 500 km of magic drains , and develop one lakh acres of orchards .

The Chief Minister also reiterated his government's commitment to completing the Polavaram Project before the next Godavari Pushkaralu and asserted that Amaravati would continue to be developed as the state capital. Taking a swipe at opposition leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy over his proposed “MaViGan” capital corridor concept, Naidu said the state would remain focused on its existing development roadmap.

Speaking at the event, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Centre plans to invest nearly ₹7.5 lakh crore nationwide under the VB-GRAM-G mission over the coming years. He announced additional support for Andhra Pradesh, including 74,212 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana , ₹422 crore for rural road connectivity , and procurement of 2.16 lakh metric tonnes of Totapuri mangoes under the Market Intervention Scheme to support farmers.

Calling Andhra Pradesh a key partner in the national development agenda, Chouhan assured the state of continued support from the Centre. He also urged citizens to contribute to environmental protection by planting at least one tree on their birthdays.

Pawan Kalyan described the launch as a milestone for rural India, saying the country's future depends not only on thriving cities but also on prosperous villages. He noted that the scheme introduces important reforms, including 25 additional days of employment and a provision to pause work for 60 days during peak agricultural seasons to avoid labour shortages for farmers.

According to the Deputy Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh’s total allocation under the programme, including the state’s share, would reach ₹12,845 crore in 2026–27 , making it one of the largest rural development investments in the country. He said the mission would accelerate infrastructure creation, strengthen livelihoods, and contribute to the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 .

With Andhra Pradesh becoming the first state to host the national rollout, the VB-GRAM-G mission is expected to serve as a model for integrating employment generation, technology-driven governance, and sustainable rural development across India.