Over 100 Area Officers to Support Nationwide Rollout of Rural Employment Mission from July 1

New Delhi: The Ministry of Rural Development will deploy more than 100 Area Officers across the country to assist States and Union Territories in the implementation of the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB–G RAM G] Act, 2025, which is scheduled to come into force on July 1, 2026.

The initiative is aimed at ensuring a smooth and effective rollout of the landmark rural development programme, which seeks to transform rural employment into a catalyst for sustainable livelihoods, climate resilience, infrastructure creation and technology-driven governance.

The Area Officers will function as facilitators and resource persons, working closely with state governments, district administrations and grassroots-level officials. Their responsibilities will include strengthening local capacities, sharing best practices, addressing operational challenges and supporting implementation during the transition to the new framework.

To prepare the officers for their role, the Department of Rural Development recently conducted a dedicated orientation programme covering the key provisions of the Act, implementation strategies, institutional arrangements, digital governance systems and support mechanisms available to states and districts. The programme was chaired by Rural Development Secretary Rohit Kansal, while Joint Secretary Rohini R. Bhajibhakare coordinated the sessions.

During field visits, the officers will engage with State and district authorities to assess implementation readiness, facilitate knowledge exchange, support capacity-building initiatives and help resolve operational issues. The Ministry believes that the initiative will strengthen coordination among stakeholders and provide the institutional handholding necessary for the successful operationalisation of the Act.

The VB–G RAM G Act, 2025 represents a major shift in India’s rural employment strategy. It integrates guaranteed wage employment with livelihood promotion, climate adaptation measures, rural infrastructure development and digital governance. The programme will be implemented through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans (VGPPs), GIS-based planning tools and convergence with other government schemes, supporting the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

The Ministry has also undertaken extensive preparations ahead of the rollout. An interim allocation of ₹95,692 crore has been approved as the Central share for FY 2026–27. All States and Union Territories have been onboarded onto the DBT-SPARSH platform, while nearly 93 per cent of active workers have completed e-KYC verification. Additionally, a Face Authentication-based Attendance System has been implemented nationwide, supported by dedicated digital platforms and large-scale training programmes.

Demonstrating strong preparedness, 27 states and Union Territories have already made budgetary provisions for implementing the Act. Moreover, six states and UTs have notified their State Schemes under the new framework, while the remaining jurisdictions are in advanced stages of finalisation.

Officials said the deployment of Area Officers will play a crucial role in ensuring that the ambitious rural employment and livelihood programme is implemented efficiently and uniformly across the country from its launch date.