VB-GRAM G Scheme, 2026: Goa Introduces 125-Day Rural Employment Framework with Digital Monitoring and Worker Safeguards

On 29 June 2026, the Government of Goa notified the Viksit Bharat — Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) VB — GRAM G (Goa) Scheme, 2026 under the VB — GRAM G Act, 2025

The Scheme came into force on 1 July 2026, except the chapters IX and X of the scheme.

Key Takeaways:

1. The main goal of this scheme is to provide at least 125 days of employment in each financial year to the registered adult members of every household who volunteer to undertake unskilled manual labor.

2. The Scheme enhances the statutory employment guarantee from 100 days under MGNREGA to 125 days of employment per financial year for eligible rural households.

3. The Scheme introduces a comprehensive digital ecosystem including biometric attendance, GPS-based worksite monitoring, real-time MIS dashboards, geotagging and AI-enabled planning and fraud-risk management

4. Chapter III of the scheme focuses on what the scheme guarantees, the time limits that it will adhere to as well as the conditions necessary for demanding work.

   1. It guarantees every person who has done the work given to him under the scheme to be entitled to receive wages at the wage rate for each day of work.

   2. It ensures that if an applicant under the scheme is not provided with employment within 15 days of receiving his application, he will be entitled to a daily unemployment allowance in accordance with the provision of this scheme.

   3. It holds that if the wages are not paid within 15 days from the date of closure, the wage seeker is entitled to receive payment of compensation for the delay.

   4. Furthermore, the scheme permits every adult member of a registered household with a valid Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card, entitled to apply for unskilled manual labor under the scheme.

5. The scheme establishes a State Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Council at the state level.

6. The scheme also establishes a State Level Steering Committee. The role of the committee includes:

   • Overseeing State wide planning.

   • Reviewing district performance and ensuring preparation of the aggregate State plan.

   • Co-ordinate with the National Level Steering Committee.

   • Making improvements at the State level.

7. Programme officers appointed by the Government under MGNREGA scheme will continue to be Programme Officers under this scheme and shall be designated as Programme Officers at Block Level.

8. The Scheme is implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with a 60:40 cost-sharing ratio between the Central Government and the Government of Goa.

9. The Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Secretary and Gram Rozgar Sahayak will be responsible for the following:

   • Registration of households and issuance of Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards.

   • Receiving work applications and maintaining records of the Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards.

   • Preparing Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans.

10. Under clause 15, a Special Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card will be issued where the job seeker is:

    1. A single woman; or

    2. A person with disability; or

    3. Persons above sixty years of age ; or

    4. A released bonded laborer; or

    5. A person belonging to a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group; or

    6. A transgender person.

11. The Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card will be issued by the Gram Panchayat within 15 days of receiving the application.The card will be valid for 3 years after which it may be renewed after due verification.

12. No Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card shall be cancelled except on any of the following grounds —

    1. Where it is found to be a duplicate,

    2. Where the entire household has permanently migrated to a place outside the jurisdiction of the Gram Panchayat and no longer resides in the village; or

    3. Where all adult members of the registered household are deceased.

13. During the allocation of employment, the scheme aims to give priority to women and more so to single women and persons with disabilities. Allocation should be in such a way that at least one — third of the beneficiaries are women who have registered and requested to work.

14. The scheme provides that the employment is to be provided within a 5 kilometer radius of the village of the applicant and if unable to do so, the laborers will be paid 10 % of the wage rate as extra wages to cover transportation costs.

15. The Government will notify up to 60 days of peak agricultural seasons during which no works under the Scheme will be undertaken.

16. To ensure accountability in the payment of wages, the government has divided the process of determining the payment of wages into various stages such as,-

    1. Measurement of work;

    2. Computerizing the muster rolls;

    3. Computerizing the measurements;

    4. Generation of wage list; and

    5. Uploading Fund Transfer Orders (FTOs) and specifying maximum time limits for each stage along with the agency responsible for discharging the specific function.

17. The scheme shall focus on specific categories of works as identified in the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans. The categories are as follows:

    1. Category I — Water Related Works (for Water Security)

    2. Category II — Core Rural Infrastructure

    3. Category III — Livelihood — related Infrastructure

    4. Category IV — Special works to mitigate Extreme Weather Events and Disaster Preparedness

18. Contractors are prohibited from executing works under the Scheme and, as far as practicable, labour-displacing machines cannot be used.

19. The Eligibility criteria for Individual Beneficiary Work is prioritized on the basis of land or homestead owned by households belonging to: –

    1. The Scheduled Castes;

    2. The Scheduled Tribes;

    3. Nomadic tribes;

    4. Denotified tribes;

    5. Economically weaker sections of the society as identified based on criteria notified by the Central government;

    6. Women – headed households;

    7. Households headed by persons with disabilities;

    8. Beneficiaries of land reforms;

    9. Beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna — Gramin (PMAY- G); and

    10. Beneficiaries under Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.

20. The scheme appoints 1 women worker to look after 5 or more children who are below the age of 5 years and accompanying the women working on site. The woman who is appointed is paid at a proper wage rate.

21. If a worker suffers personal injury due to an accident arising out of and in the course of employment, the worker is entitled to free medical treatment as per his required conditions.

22. In cases of death or permanent disability arising out of employment under the Scheme, the worker or legal heirs are entitled to compensation in accordance with the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana or other notified provisions.

23. The scheme provides for medical treatment free of cost, in case a child accompanying an employee faces a personal injury by accident. In case of death or permanent disablement of the child due to an accident, the legal guardians will be paid the amount as decided by the Government.

24. The scheme includes a separate Special Schedule of Rates for women, the elderly, persons with disabilities and persons with debilitating ailments.

25. To increase accountability and transparency, the scheme ensures public disclosure of information through digital systems to be displayed for public scrutiny. Every worksite is required to display a “Janata Board” containing details of the work, and weekly disclosures are to be made available through physical and digital platforms.

26. The Scheme establishes a grievance redressal mechanism with a 7 working-day enquiry timeline and automatic escalation of unresolved complaints.