India: repealing the Employment Guarantee Act

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is viewed as a global benchmark for rights-based social security, providing a critical lifeline to millions of rural households in India. In December 2025, the Government of India repealed MGNREGA in favour of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajivika Mission – Gramin Act (VB—G RAM G) which fundamentally alters the architecture of employment guarantee. By introducing ‘normative allocations’ and shifting responsibility to state governments, VB—G RAM G departs from the demand-driven logic that defined MGNREGA.