Chennai, Jan 10 (IANS) Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson ANS Prasad said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Working President Nitin Nabin’s visit to Tamil Nadu on Saturday was part of a broader strategy to strengthen the party’s grassroots presence across rural areas ahead of the Assembly elections.

In a statement, Prasad said Nabin will participate in a public programme at Neelambur Achankulam near Coimbatore to roll out the party’s statewide outreach for the VB-G RAM G scheme, a revamped rural employment and asset-creation initiative of the Union government.

He said the visit marks a key organisational push by the BJP to directly engage with villagers, farmers, labourers, women, and youth.

According to Prasad, the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, introduced under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, guarantees up to 125 days of wage employment per rural household.

The scheme provides for weekly wage payments, skill development, and the creation of durable community assets, with a strong focus on water conservation, climate-resilient infrastructure, and decentralised planning through panchayats.

A provision for a temporary pause during peak agricultural seasons has also been included to support farming activities. Prasad said Tamil Nadu stands to benefit substantially from the scheme.

He pointed out that the earlier rural employment programme generated more than 30 crore person-days of work in the State during 2024–25, with unskilled wages amounting to approximately Rs 8,375 crore.

The enhanced design of VB-G RAM G, he said, would further improve income security for farmers, agricultural labourers, women, and marginalised communities, while also helping reduce distress-driven migration from villages to cities.

The BJP spokesperson criticised the DMK and its allies, including the Congress, accusing them of opposing the scheme for political reasons despite its potential benefits for rural households.

He alleged that such opposition undermines efforts aimed at long-term village development, transparency, and employment generation.

During his visit, Nabin is expected to interact with farmers’ groups, labour collectives, women’s self-help groups, and youth representatives.

Prasad said the BJP leader would underline how rural employment, infrastructure creation, and skill development form the backbone of the ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’ vision.

The BJP hopes the VB-G RAM G outreach will consolidate rural support in Tamil Nadu and position the party as a development-focused alternative in the run-up to the 2026 Assembly elections.

–IANS

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