India to Rename MGNREGA as Pujya Bapu Gramin Rozgar Yojana, 125 Days of Work
India to Rename MGNREGA as Pujya Bapu Gramin Rozgar Yojana, 125 Days of Work
Cabinet clears a plan to rename MGNREGA and boost guaranteed work to 125 days with a Rs 1.51 lakh crore allocation for rural employment.
The government is expected to introduce a Bill in the ongoing Winter session of Parliament that amends the MGNREGA, renaming the flagship rural employment scheme as “Pujya Bapu Gramin Rozgar Yojana.” The amended Bill reportedly received clearance from the Union Cabinet in a meeting held on Friday, December 12, 2025, though there was no official announcement during the cabinet briefing led by the Union Minister. The move signals a broader push to reform the scheme as part of rural development efforts.
The original act, passed on August 25, 2005, was called the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. Its suffix “Mahatma Gandhi” was added in 2009, shaping its identity for years. The proposed changes aim to retain the core guarantee of wage employment, while introducing tweaks to improve fund utilisation and delivery, especially in economically weaker States.
Officials familiar with the discussions say the bill contemplates increasing the guaranteed employment from 100 days per financial year to 125 days, a significant expansion intended to better support rural households when better job opportunities are scarce. In parallel, a greater emphasis on efficient fund utilisation could help targeted states deploy resources more effectively.
In a written reply to a Rajya Sabha query, a Minister of State for Rural Development noted that the average number of days of employment per household over the last five years stood at 50.35 days. The government has argued the scheme remains a “fallback option when no better employment opportunity is available,” a point often cited in debates about its reach and relevance. The reported allocation for the scheme is around Rs 1.51 lakh crore, underscoring a substantial commitment to sustaining rural livelihoods.
If the proposal progresses, the renamed program would mark a high-profile rebranding with a stronger focus on rural employment generation, while aiming to address inter-State variations and other delivery challenges highlighted in past reviews. Parliament is expected to scrutinise the bill and the accompanying financial provisions during the session, with rural development officials emphasizing that the goal is to expand coverage and improve utilisation without compromising fiscal prudence.
Overall, the unfolding developments point to a renewed political emphasis on the issue of rural work and social security, with supporters arguing that the enhanced guarantee could provide a more stable safety net for vulnerable households, and critics urging clarity on implementation and long-term costs.
Cover image source: Government likely to rename MGNREGS to ‘Pujya Bapu Gramin Rozgar Yojana’ 🔗
