SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Wednesday reviewed the preparedness of the Rural Development Department and district administrations for the rollout of the Viksit Bharat Gramin Rozgar Abhiyan Mission (VB-G RAM G) across Jammu and Kashmir from July 1, 2026.
Chairing a high-level meeting, the Chief Secretary assessed the progress made in transitioning from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) framework to the newly enacted VB-G RAM G, which was notified by the Government of India on May 11, 2026.
Emphasizing the need for meticulous planning and coordinated execution, Dulloo directed officials to strictly adhere to prescribed timelines and complete all preparatory activities well before the scheme becomes operational.
He called for expediting key prerequisites, including notification of the scheme in consultation with the Law Department, completion of e-KYC of all eligible workers, and advance planning and approval of works to ensure a seamless transition to the new programme.
The Chief Secretary also directed the Directors of Rural Development for Jammu and Kashmir to personally oversee capacity building and training programmes for all functionaries associated with the implementation of the scheme. He stressed that officials at the district, block and Gram Panchayat levels must be fully conversant with the provisions, procedures and technological platforms of VB-G RAM G before its launch.
During the meeting, Secretary Rural Development Mohammad Aijaz Asad informed that extensive awareness and outreach campaigns had been conducted across all 20 districts, covering all 4,291 Gram Panchayats through Gram Sabhas, community engagement programmes, social media campaigns and newspaper outreach initiatives.
The meeting was informed that all 20 districts, 285 blocks and 4,291 Gram Panchayats have been onboarded onto the Yuktdhara planning platform with 100 per cent login creation. Planning activities have commenced in more than 94 per cent of Gram Panchayats, while over 92 per cent have already submitted their plans.
Officials further informed that around 3,849 Gram Sabhas have approved development plans and more than 63,000 works have been identified, creating a substantial shelf of projects to meet anticipated labour demand under the new scheme.
Reviewing worker verification, the Chief Secretary was informed that Jammu and Kashmir has emerged among the top-performing States and Union Territories in e-KYC coverage and face authentication compliance of MGNREGA workers, with all Gram Panchayats achieving full coverage.
Dulloo observed that technology-driven governance mechanisms under VB-G RAM G, including face authentication, geofencing, artificial intelligence-enabled analytics and real-time monitoring dashboards, would further enhance transparency, accountability and service delivery.
Regarding operational readiness, the meeting was informed that the draft notification for implementation of the scheme has been prepared and submitted for approval. Work on framing rules, opening dedicated accounts, making budgetary provisions and integrating financial management systems is also progressing in line with timelines prescribed by the Ministry of Rural Development.
The categorisation of Gram Panchayats and other preparatory activities are also underway as scheduled, officials said.
The Chief Secretary called for sustained public outreach and close monitoring at all levels to ensure the effective implementation of the flagship rural employment and development programme from the very first day of its rollout across Jammu and Kashmir.
