Haryana Panchayat and Development Minister Krishan Lal Panwar announced on Thursday that the state will offer the highest daily wage in the country at Rs 409 under the 'Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission' (Gramin), or VB G RAM G. He also stated that payments under the scheme will now be made within seven days, reduced from the previous 15-day period.
Scheme Launch in Kurukshetra
Addressing a state-level event in Kurukshetra to launch the scheme, the minister inaugurated a pond excavation project in Shahzadpur village. He detailed that eligible workers must register online; after registration and physical verification, employment will be provided within 15 days. Workers will receive 125 days of work annually, with wages credited directly to their bank accounts. Additionally, workers will be granted 60 days of leave for crop harvesting and sowing activities.
Penalties and Biometric Attendance
Panwar warned that negligent employees will face a penalty of Rs 10,000, increased from the earlier Rs 1,000. To prevent irregularities, worker attendance at the workplace will be recorded via biometric systems. The central government has allocated Rs 590.19 crore for the scheme's launch, with the Haryana government contributing approximately Rs 370 crore.
Political Reactions and Proposals
The minister recalled that the Congress party opposed the bill when it was introduced, criticizing their mindset of opposing even good initiatives. He mentioned that the scheme was discussed during a two-day camp with Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Panwar proposed integrating the 'Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojana-4' with VB G RAM G and suggested allocating a separate budget for post-construction road maintenance under the scheme.
Recommendations for Better Implementation
He recommended that labour costs, which account for 60 percent of material payments, be earmarked separately. Panwar called for the removal of NGT restrictions on clearing trees standing in the middle of roads. He also highlighted delays between the release of first and subsequent installments under the 'PM Awas Yojana' and 'Chief Minister Awas Yojana', urging timely release to prevent unfinished homes. Additionally, he sought filling vacant posts related to scheme implementation.
Insurance Proposal for Workers
Noting that the current provision offers only Rs 25,000 in the event of a worker's death during work, Panwar proposed enhancing it to include insurance coverage of Rs 2 lakh to provide better financial assistance to the family.
