The Budget has earmarked ₹95,692.31 crore for VB‑GRAMG and ₹30,000 crore for MGNREGS, taking the combined allocation for the two rural employment heads to ₹1,25,692.31 crore, which the government has projected as a 43% increase over the Revised Estimate (RE) of ₹88,000 crore for MGNREGS in 2025‑26. Mr. Dey contended that even a transition cushion appears unlikely because of pending dues and near‑term spending. Therefore, the MGNREGA ₹30,000 crore allocation seems to have no relevance for next year,” he said. He warned that States are being forced to budget “in the dark” without knowing their required 40% share until the Centre discloses allocations. “On paper, the Centre appears to have completed its role by fixing its budget share, but has left major implementation and funding burdens on States, making the actual functioning of VB-GRAMG highly uncertain,” he said.

Source: The Hindu February 02, 2026 14:31 UTC