The Indian government announced that the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, which will come into effect on July 1, 2026, will replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticized this move, stating it is merely a headline-grabbing exercise that centralizes authority and diminishes the bargaining power of rural laborers. He emphasized that the constitutional rights to work and wages for rural families are at risk. The Ministry of Rural Development described the new act as a historic transition aimed at enhancing livelihood security and rural infrastructure, promising 125 days of statutory wage employment for rural households. The ministry assured that the transition would be seamless, with ongoing MGNREGA projects continuing under the new framework. Draft rules regarding various operational aspects are under preparation and will soon be made available for public consultation.