Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said that the Viksit Bharat-G Ram G Act lays a strong foundation for building self-reliant (Atmanirbhar) villages, asserting that true rural development can be achieved only through public participation.
Addressing labourers and workers during an interaction in Erode, Tamil Nadu, the Minister said the new law is a decisive step to strengthen employment generation, improve basic facilities and ensure village-level self-sufficiency. He explained that the Act seeks to address shortcomings in the earlier MGNREGA framework, where timely availability of work and prompt payment of wages were often lacking.
Under the new provisions, the guaranteed employment period has been increased from 100 to 125 days. Workers will be entitled to an unemployment allowance if work is not provided within the stipulated time, while delays of more than 15 days in wage payments will attract interest. To improve efficiency and ensure timely payments, administrative expenditure has been raised from 6 per cent to 9 per cent, the Minister said.
Chouhan emphasised that Gram Sabhas have been significantly empowered under the Act, enabling village assemblies to decide their own development priorities. “Decisions related to development will no longer be taken in Chennai or Delhi, but directly by the villages themselves,” he said.
Dismissing what he described as misinformation being spread about the scheme, the Minister reiterated that the reforms introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensure that funds meant for labourers and workers are transferred directly into their bank accounts. “No one will be allowed to siphon off the money meant for workers,” he asserted.
During his visit, Chouhan also toured the renowned turmeric market in Erode and interacted with turmeric farmers and traders. He announced that the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has been directed to set up a turmeric testing laboratory in Erode, often referred to as ‘Turmeric City’. The facility will support farmers through quality testing, certification and improved marketing prospects.
The Minister further assured that efforts would be made to establish a regional office of the Turmeric Board in Erode. While the Board falls under the Ministry of Commerce, Chouhan said he would personally pursue the matter to ensure better policy support, enhanced market access and new export opportunities for turmeric farmers.
Highlighting infrastructure needs, he stressed the importance of cold storage facilities in the region and said these could be developed under various central schemes. He added that the Tamil Nadu government would be urged to utilise Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) funds for this purpose. The Minister also assured action to curb the smuggling of turmeric and said a meeting would be convened in Delhi to address the issue comprehensively.
Emphasising that quality seeds are the foundation of agriculture, Chouhan underlined the need for focused seed development through ICAR.
As part of his visit, the Union Minister reviewed agricultural innovations, inspected over 100 stalls showcasing farm products and interacted with farmers and agri-entrepreneurs on product quality and future potential. He also held discussions with more than 1,000 women farmers, met representatives of farmer organisations and progressive farmers, and participated in cultural programmes organised on the occasion.
The post ”Viksit Bharat-G Ram G Act’ to build self-reliant villages’: Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Tamil Nadu’s Erode appeared first on DD India.
