The Punjab government has officially notified the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin (VB-G RAM G) scheme, several months after the state assembly unanimously opposed it.The Punjab government has officially notified the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin (VB-G RAM G) scheme, several months after the state assembly unanimously opposed it. (HT FIle/ Representational image)With the issuance of the notification, the Centre’s new rural employment framework will be implemented in Punjab from July 1.“In order to align the rural development framework with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 by providing an enhanced statutory wage employment guarantee of 125 days in each financial year to such rural households whose adult members volunteer to undertake unskilled manual work; And to focus on employment, growth, convergence and saturation, the government of Punjab is pleased to notify the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB-G RAM G] Scheme, Punjab 2026, under the provisions of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025,” reads the June 26 gazette notification issued by the department of rural development and panchayats.The notification signals a major policy turnaround by the AAP-led Punjab government.On December 30, 2025, the Bhagwant Mann government had convened a special session of the Punjab assembly, where a resolution against the VB-G RAM G Act was unanimously passed while seeking restoration of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to its original right-based form.Calling it a deliberate and dangerous conspiracy, the assembly had accused the BJP-led central government of “taking away” the livelihood of the poor and Dalit labourers by dismantling MGNREGA.The assembly had urged the Centre to withdraw the legislation, and continue providing guaranteed employment and wages to rural labourers under MGNREGA.“This House recommends that the state government take up the matter with the Government of India to maintain the demand-based, rights-based and fully centrally sponsored structure of MGNREGA and reconsider those provisions of the VB-G Ram G Act which impose undue financial burden on the states and diluted the right to employment of rural labourers,” the resolution had said.Is CM trying to buy peace with the BJP: WarringThe notification sparked sharp reactions from the opposition, with the Congress questioning under what “deal and compromise” with the BJP, the Punjab government implemented the scheme and demanded that AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal explain if he had approved it.Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said by notifying the scheme’s implementation, the state government had completely negated its own assembly resolution.Terming the timing of the implementation both critical and surprising, the PCC chief questioned if the sudden move was linked to the ongoing legal and religious controversy surrounding chief minister Bhagwant Mann over an allegedly fabricated video and subsequent police arrest rows in Gurugram.“Having been cornered both within and outside his party, is the chief minister trying to buy peace with the BJP?” Warring said, arguing there was no other logical reason to roll out a scheme the state legislature had formally rejected.Warring also called on AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal to break his silence and clarify whether he approved of the decision, warning that failure to do so would confirm that his party had struck a tactical deal with the BJP.Despite attempts, Punjab rural development minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond could not be contacted for comments.