Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressed a special Gram Sabha at Loni Budruk in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district, outlining the provisions of the Viksit Bharat-G Ram G Act, 2025. The programme was webcast nationwide and viewed by over 6 million people from more than 1 lakh locations. Mr Chouhan said the new law provides a legal guarantee of 125 days of employment, with mandatory payment of wages within one week. In case of delay beyond 15 days, workers will receive an additional 0.05 per cent interest. He added that the Act strengthens MGNREGA by making it more effective, transparent and accountable. Mr Chouhan further stated that decisions on works will now be taken by the Gram Sabha as per local needs. The scheme will cover water conservation, infrastructure development, livelihood-related activities and disaster mitigation. He said at least 33 per cent of works are reserved for women, while states have been empowered to engage workers in agricultural activities for up to 60 days during peak seasons. Administrative expenditure has been increased from 6 per cent to 9 per cent to ensure timely payments and smooth implementation.