Tirupati, July 2 (IANS) Union Minister for Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday announced that the government will spend Rs 7.5 lakh crore under Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission – Gramin (VB-G RAM G) in five years.

He formally launched the scheme at an event held at Mukkavaripalle in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Union Ministers of State for Rural Development Kamlesh Paswan and Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan revealed that under the scheme, on the very first day (July 1), more than 5 lakh people have been provided employment at over 50,000 locations across the country

He said, unlike the UPA government, which took three years to implement MGNREGA across the country, the NDA government rolled out the scheme in a single day.

He also stated that while the UPA spent Rs 2.13 lakh crore on MGNREGA, the NDA government spent Rs 8.63 lakh crore in 10 years, and it will spend another Rs 7.5 lakh crore in five years.

The Union minister said under VB-G RAM G, labourers will get 125 days of employment and the wages will not be less than Rs 300.

He recalled that when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister, the ‘Total Rural Employment Scheme’ was created. That scheme, through successive transformations, became ‘MGNREGA’ and has now become ‘VB – G RAM G’.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan distributed ‘VB G-RAM-G’ cards to beneficiary workers.

The national launch of the scheme was held with the laying of the foundation stone for a farm pond by the Union minister and the Chief Minister.

Ten varieties of timber-yielding saplings—including Teak, Maddi (Arjun), Neem, and Eucalyptus—were planted by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chandrababu Naidu, Pawan Kalyan, and others.

Priority is being given to timber production and the establishment of wood banks under the special action plan devised by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan to boost greenery, protect the environment, and increase the revenue of panchayats.

Subsequently, the ‘Magic Drain’ model set up near the venue was displayed, and the concept was explained to Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The structure of the ‘Magic Drain’—an innovative wastewater management solution introduced by the Andhra Pradesh government—was demonstrated, highlighting its three-layer composition.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that the Centre was working to approve 74,212 new houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Grameen for Andhra Pradesh, so that the poor families of the state get the opportunity to realise their dream of owning a permanent home. For those villages that have not yet been connected by roads, he handed over the approval letter for Rs 422.1 crore for the construction of 146 new roads and 19 bridges under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.

Stating that under the leadership of Chandrababu Naidu, Andhra Pradesh is becoming a hub for horticulture, he gave the assurance that the Government of India will support the state to make farmers prosperous and increase their income.

He also handed over an approval letter under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) to procure 2,16,250 tonnes of Totapuri mangoes.

–IANS

ms/uk