CM Joseph Vijay raises concerns over Viksit Bharat Guarantee scheme
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has formally opposed the Centre's proposed implementation of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee scheme, alleging that the new framework would impose an additional financial burden of over Rs 5,000 crore on the state and create restrictive operational challenges. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, Vijay stated that certain provisions of the VB G RAMG Act, 2025 require critical modifications and relaxations, without which the seamless and effective execution of the scheme on the ground would suffer significantly, ultimately affecting the rural population dependent on the rural employment programme.
Funding pattern shift places strain on state exchequer
Referring to the fund-sharing pattern, the Chief Minister noted that the current guidelines mandate a 60:40 ratio between the Union and State across wage, material, and administrative components. He argued that since MGNREGS operated under a different structure for two decades, this abrupt shift places an unsustainable strain on the state exchequer, which may reduce available wage employment days or crowd out other essential welfare schemes. Vijay requested that 100 per cent funding be maintained for the wage and administrative components, with the material component shared on a 75:25 basis between the Government of India and the Government of Tamil Nadu.
Centralised methodology criticised for ignoring regional diversity
Claiming that the proposed centralised methodology for classifying village panchayats and distribution within the state normative allocations introduces micromanagement, the Chief Minister said that a uniform, formulaic national approach fails to account for regional socio-economic diversity and risks lopsided grassroot allocations. Vijay sought greater flexibility for states to formulate their own methodology for intra-state distribution based on localised, ground-level needs.
Peak agricultural season notification raises flexibility concerns
On the notification of peak agricultural seasons, Vijay pointed out that the Act mandates the state to notify a fixed 60-day period per financial year covering peak sowing and harvesting, during which works are suspended. However, unpredictable climate fluctuations such as El Nino frequently alter agricultural timelines, creating sudden unseasonal labour demand or a sharp need for safety-net employment during pre-notified peak periods. This rigidity, he argued, could undermine the scheme's effectiveness in addressing real-time rural employment needs.
Impact on rural employment and welfare schemes
The Chief Minister emphasised that the additional financial burden and operational constraints could severely impact the rural population that relies on the rural employment programme. He warned that the strain on the state exchequer might force Tamil Nadu to reduce wage employment days or cut back on other essential welfare schemes, thereby affecting the most vulnerable communities. Vijay's letter underscores the need for a more flexible and state-centric approach to ensure the scheme's success without compromising local priorities.
