New Delhi, June 19 (IANS) The government on Friday said it will deploy more than 100 area officers across the country to support states and union territories ahead of the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB–G RAM G) Act, 2025, which comes into force on July 1.

In a major step towards ensuring seamless implementation of the Act, the area officers will serve as facilitators and resource persons during the rollout phase, working closely with state governments and district administrations to support implementation, strengthen local capacities, facilitate knowledge sharing, help address operational challenges and promote the adoption of good practices, according to the Ministry of Rural Development.

They will also interact with field-level functionaries to understand implementation requirements, facilitate exchange of experiences and good practices, support capacity-building efforts and assist in resolving operational issues.

“Their engagement will help strengthen coordination among various stakeholders and support effective implementation during the transition to the new framework. The initiative is designed to provide institutional handholding and facilitate smooth operationalisation of the Act across the country,” according to the official statement.

About 27 states and union territories (UTs) have already made budgetary provisions for implementation of the Act, while six states/UTs have notified their State Schemes under the VB–G RAM G framework.

The remaining states and UTs are in advanced stages of finalising their schemes, said the statement.

Notably, the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025 seeks to transform rural employment into a driver of sustainable and inclusive rural development by integrating guaranteed wage employment with livelihood promotion, climate resilience, rural infrastructure creation and technology-enabled governance.

Through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans (VGPPs), GIS-based planning and convergence across schemes, the Act advances the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.

According to the ministry, the area officer initiative is expected to play an important role in supporting states and UTs during the roll out phase by facilitating coordination, sharing implementation experiences and providing continuous institutional support, thereby helping ensure a smooth and effective transition to the VB–G RAM G framework.

–IANS

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