Rules for new rural employment scheme to be issued soon

📌 Summary:

• Rules governing the new rural employment guarantee scheme — the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), scheduled to come into force from July 1 — will be released by the government in the next few days

• Officials of the Union Ministry of Rural Development informed a Parliamentary Standing Committee, headed by Congress leader Saptagiri Ulaka, which met on May 20 to review preparatory work

• A key pending issue is the formulation of a system for the normative allocation of funds among States; Section 4(5) of the legislation requires the Central government to determine State-wise normative allocation each financial year "based on objective parameters as may be prescribed" — aimed at more equitable distribution of resources

• The Ministry told the panel that 25 States have already allocated funds, and all major States have made the required budgetary provisions for implementation from July 1

• Beneficiaries will be issued new smart job cards (Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards) replacing those issued under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005

• The new cards will include a face-recognition feature to improve transparency and accountability; existing job cards will remain valid temporarily for workers who have completed e-KYC, until the new cards are issued

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 (Governance and Social Justice) — design and rollout of welfare schemes, the transition from MGNREGS, fiscal federalism in scheme funding, and use of technology for transparency.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• The new scheme is the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), set to take effect from July 1, 2026

• It replaces the job-card framework of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005

• New smart job cards will carry a face-recognition feature

• The Parliamentary Standing Committee reviewing the scheme is headed by Saptagiri Ulaka

🔑 Key Term: Normative allocation — the distribution of central funds to States based on objective, prescribed parameters rather than on past expenditure or demand, intended to ensure equitable resource sharing.