Dibrugarh, Jan 21 (IANS) Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 is driving a historic village-first and village-led development revolution, placing rural India at the centre of the nation’s growth journey.

Addressing reporters here, Sonowal said Viksit Bharat 2047 is not a slogan but a national mission aimed at transforming villages into engines of economic progress.

“When villages prosper, the nation progresses. This vision ensures last-mile delivery, empowers farmers, workers and youth, and builds the foundation of a self-reliant India,” he said.

Highlighting the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G, Sonowal said the new framework guarantees dignified livelihoods for poor and backward families by providing a statutory assurance of 125 days of employment per rural household, along with weekly wage payments to strengthen income security.

“The rural economy of 2005 and that of 2025 are vastly different. Governance must evolve with changing aspirations. VB–G RAM G links employment with water security, infrastructure creation, connectivity and long-term productivity,” the minister said.

Sonowal noted that rural poverty has seen a sharp decline over the past decade, falling from 25.7 per cent in 2011–12 to 8.36 per cent in 2023-24, aided by improved connectivity, direct benefit transfer and technology-driven governance.

Referring to MNREGA, he said the scheme has undergone a complete transformation under the Modi government.

“During the Congress era, MNREGA became synonymous with corruption. Today, it is a transparent, technology-enabled system. Of the total Rs 11.74 lakh crore spent under MNREGA so far, Rs 8.53 lakh crore has been spent by the Modi government – the highest ever by any government,” Sonowal said.

He added that real-time monitoring, digital attendance and direct benefit transfers have eliminated middlemen and leakages, restoring public trust and ensuring benefits reach the intended beneficiaries.

Launching a sharp political attack, Sonowal said the Congress’s opposition to Viksit Bharat reflects outdated politics.

“Their politics is rooted in dynasty, not development. In contrast, the BJP has ushered in a new political culture of performance, transparency and Garib Kalyan, where governance is focused on empowering the last person in the queue,” he said.

–IANS

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