New Delhi: The Centre has notified rules for grievance redressal under the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, mandating that complaints related to the implementation of the rural employment scheme be resolved within 15 days and providing for their escalation if they remain pending beyond the prescribed period.
Under the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Grievance Redressal Rules, 2026, notified by the Union Ministry of Rural Development, state governments will have to establish a three-tier mechanism at gram panchayat, block and district levels, the ministry said in a statement issued Monday.
The rules provide for designated grievance redressal officers at each level to receive, register, enquire into and dispose of complaints.
According to the ministry, grievances can be submitted in person, through speed post, a designated digital platform, telephone helplines or any other mode decided by state governments.
No grievance can be refused registration on the grounds of its format, language, manner of submission or any procedural deficiency, the statement said.
All complaints received physically at gram panchayat, block or district level will have to be entered on the designated digital platform on the day of receipt or, if that is not feasible, by the next working day.
The complainant will receive an acknowledgement with a registration number, date of receipt and designation of the receiving authority.
The rules stipulate that an enquiry into a grievance must be completed within seven working days of its receipt, while the complaint must be resolved within 15 days.
The designated officer can call for relevant records, documents, reports and electronic data from the authorities concerned and provide the complainant an opportunity to be heard, either in person or electronically, wherever necessary.
Complaints not resolved within 15 days will be escalated to the next higher level under the mechanism established by the state government. Such cases will continue to be monitored electronically until their disposal.
A district programme coordinator will oversee grievance redressal at the district level and ensure that complaints are addressed through the designated mechanism and digital infrastructure.
The rules also provide for appeals against orders passed under the grievance redressal mechanism, in accordance with Schedule I of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025.
The Act provides the statutory framework for the Centre’s rural employment guarantee programme. The new rules lay down the institutional and procedural framework for addressing complaints arising from its implementation, including mandatory registration, time-bound enquiries and digital tracking.
The ministry said the provisions are aimed at making grievance redressal more accessible and ensuring that citizens’ concerns regarding the scheme receive timely attention.
