VB-GRAM G Act to end irregularities, strengthen rural economy: Sat Sharma

Jammu, Jan 9: Jammu and Kashmir BJP President and Rajya Sabha MP Sat Sharma CA on Friday said that the Viksit Bharat GRAM G (VB-GRAM G) Act is a decisive reform aimed at ending long-standing irregularities in rural employment schemes while ensuring transparent, need-based benefits for the poorest sections of society.
Sat Sharma was addressing a state-level workshop organised under the VB-GRAM G Janajagaran Abhiyan at the BJP headquarters in Jammu.
The workshop was attended by J&K BJP General Secretary and Convenor of the VB-GRAM G Janajagaran Abhiyan Baldev Singh Billawaria, General Secretaries Sanjita Dogra and Gopal Mahajan, DDC Chairpersons Bharat Bhushan, Col Maan Singh, and Keshav Dutt Sharma, MLA RS Pathania, along with party office bearers, district presidents, and senior leaders.
Om Prakash Dhankar, BJP National Secretary, former BJP State President and Ex-Minister of the Haryana Government, and National Co-Convenor and In-charge for Jammu and Kashmir of the VB-GRAM G Janajagaran Abhiyan, addressed the gathering through virtual mode.
While outlining the VB-GRAM G framework, Sat Sharma said the workshop was organised to prepare party teams that will visit districts and villages to create mass awareness about the new initiative. He said that although MGNREGA was launched with positive intent, it suffered from several shortcomings, including weak social audits, inadequate verification mechanisms, and misuse of funds, which limited its impact on the most vulnerable sections.
“To address these flaws and ensure that benefits truly reach the needy, the Modi government introduced the Viksit Bharat GRAM G Bill. The new framework focuses on transparency, accountability, and productivity, while providing 100 to 125 days of assured employment, strengthening rural infrastructure, and contributing directly to the vision of a Viksit Bharat,” Sat Sharma said.
He also criticised the Congress for indulging in political rhetoric over the change in nomenclature instead of engaging in a constructive debate on how VB-GRAM G addresses the inherent weaknesses of MGNREGA and empowers rural India.
Addressing the workshop, Om Prakash Dhankar described VB-GRAM G as one of the dream projects of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aimed at strengthening rural infrastructure, supporting farmers, and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities. He urged BJP workers to actively organise programmes under the Janajagaran Abhiyan with the participation of elected representatives and respected community figures at the grassroots level.
Baldev Singh Billawaria presented a detailed roadmap for Jammu and Kashmir, stating that awareness will be taken to the grassroots through coordinated activities such as press conferences, workshops, rural choupal meetings, and sammelans at district and mandal levels to ensure wide public outreach.
Speaking on the occasion, MLA RS Pathania said VB-GRAM G marks a paradigm shift from wage-centric employment to outcome-oriented rural development. He explained that the new framework links employment generation with asset creation, productivity, and accountability, while strengthening digital monitoring, social audits, verification systems, and community participation. He added that VB-GRAM G aligns rural employment with national priorities such as water conservation, rural connectivity, agricultural infrastructure, and sustainable development.
During the workshop, it was informed that the VB-GRAM G Janajagaran Abhiyan will be coordinated in the Kashmir region by General Secretary Anwar Khan, in the Udhampur–Doda Parliamentary Constituency by Kisan Morcha President Rakesh Pant, in the Jammu Parliamentary Constituency by former MLA Ashwani Sharma, assisted by Panchayati Raj Cell Convenor Jitender Sharma, and in the Anantnag Parliamentary Constituency by Secretary Pawan Sharma.
A detailed PowerPoint presentation was also showcased during the workshop, highlighting the need for VB-GRAM G and drawing a clear comparison with MGNREGA, underlining the reforms and improvements introduced under the new framework. (KINS)