Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government has notified agriculture “pause periods” under the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-GRAM-G), suspending public works during peak sowing and harvesting seasons to avoid labour shortages in the agriculture sector.
The notification comes as the Union Territory transitions from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to the newly introduced VB-GRAM-G.
According to an order issued by Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, Mohammad Aijaz Asad, separate pause schedules have been prescribed for the Kashmir and Jammu divisions in line with their respective cropping calendars.
In the Kashmir division, public works will remain suspended from April 26 to May 10 during Kharif sowing, May 25 to June 10 during Kharif transplanting and Rabi harvesting, and September 26 to October 23 during Kharif harvesting and Rabi sowing.
For the Jammu division, the notified pause periods are April 15 to April 29 for Rabi harvesting, June 15 to June 29 for Kharif sowing and transplanting, and October 15 to November 13 for Kharif harvesting and Rabi sowing.
The notification, issued under Sections 6(2) and 6(3) of the VB-GRAM-G Act, prohibits the commencement or execution of scheme works during these periods. However, projects may be undertaken during the notified pause if specifically permitted by the Government of India under Section 7 of the Act in the public interest.
The Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department said the mandatory 60-day agricultural pause is a key provision of the Jammu and Kashmir Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Scheme, 2026, which came into effect on July 1.
According to the department, the scheme increases guaranteed wage employment for eligible rural households from 100 days under MGNREGA to 125 days annually for those willing to undertake unskilled manual work.
Secretary Mohammad Aijaz Asad said the notification of the pause periods aims to ensure that rural infrastructure development does not adversely affect agricultural productivity. He added that the expanded employment guarantee and technology-driven planning under VB-GRAM-G mark a significant shift in rural employment planning.
