Srinagar, Jun 3 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Wednesday reviewed the preparedness for the rollout of the Viksit Bharat Gramin Rozgar Abhiyan Mission (VB-G RAM G) across the Union Territory from July 1 and directed officials to ensure timely completion of all preparatory activities.
Chairing a high-level meeting here, Dulloo assessed the progress made by the Rural Development Department and district administrations 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 Centre on May 11, 2026.
The chief secretary stressed the need for meticulous planning and coordinated execution, directing officers to strictly adhere to prescribed timelines for operationalisation of the scheme.
He asked officials to expedite key prerequisites, including notification of the scheme in consultation with the Law Department, completion of e-KYC of eligible workers and advance planning and approval of works to ensure a seamless transition.
Dulloo also directed the Directors of Rural Development for Jammu and Kashmir to personally oversee capacity-building programmes and training of functionaries associated with the implementation of the scheme.
He said employees at the district, block and Gram Panchayat levels should be fully trained and familiar with the provisions, procedures and technological platforms under the new mission before its launch.
During the meeting, Secretary Rural Development Aijaz Asad informed that awareness and outreach campaigns had been conducted across all 4,291 Gram Panchayats through special Gram Sabhas, community engagement programmes, social media campaigns and newspaper outreach initiatives.
Officials informed the meeting that all 20 districts, 285 blocks and 4,291 Gram Panchayats had been onboarded on the Yuktdhara platform, with planning activities commencing in over 94 per cent of Gram Panchayats and more than 92 per cent already submitting their plans.
Around 3,849 Gram Sabhas have approved development plans and over 63,000 works have been identified to meet anticipated labour demand under the new programme, the meeting was told.
The chief secretary was also informed that Jammu and Kashmir is 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 said technology-driven governance mechanisms under VB-G RAM G, including face authentication, geofencing, AI-enabled analytics and real-time monitoring dashboards, would strengthen transparency, accountability and service delivery.
The meeting was informed that the draft notification for implementation of the scheme has been prepared and submitted for approval, while rules, dedicated accounts, budgetary provisions and integration of financial management systems are being pursued as per timelines set by the Ministry of Rural Development.
The chief secretary called for sustained public outreach and close monitoring at all levels to ensure effective implementation of the flagship rural employment and development initiative from day one, officials said.(NVI)
