Nationwide VB-G RAM G scheme launched from Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati district

Tirupati: Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the nationwide Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), known as the VB-G RAM G scheme, at Mukkavari Palli in Tirupati district on Thursday.Naidu said much as the earlier national employment guarantee scheme (MGNREGA), which traces its rollout origins back to Anantapur in Rayalaseema, the current initiative has also taken flight from the Railway Kodur assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh.Under this comprehensive programme, the Union govt has allocated ₹95,692 crore as an interim allocation to states and Union Territories to facilitate the scheme’s nationwide rollout, said Chouhan.

Works worth over ₹11,700 crore will be executed in AP, with Central assistance of ₹7,700 crore paired alongside a state contribution of ₹4,000 crore. He said gram sabhas will identify and approve development works in every panchayat.Naidu emphasised that under the supervision of deputy chief minister

Pawan Kalyan

, the face of rural areas will undergo a complete transformation. The upgraded scheme secures 125 days of guaranteed wage employment annually, enabling local administrations to build critical assets such as all-weather roads, proper drainage systems, and water canals.

To ensure maximum accountability and eliminate systemic leakages, the entire operation will feature technology-driven transparency measures, including biometric authentication and real-time geographic data tracking through geo-tagging.Detailing the milestone achievements in rural development, Naidu shared that past efforts generated 55.44 crore mandays of employment with a massive expenditure of ₹16,695 crore.

This extensive funding paved the way for the creation of 7,000km concrete cement (CC) roads, 40,000 dairy cattle sheds, 15,500 water troughs, 1.07 lakh farm ponds, and thousands of kilometres of crucial road networks in tribal zones.Laying out an aggressive roadmap for the current year, Naidu announced plans to develop 10,000km of gravel roads, 1,500km of regular cement/BT roads, and 500km of magic drains, alongside extensive farm-to-market connecting roads under the new framework.Shifting his focus to comprehensive region-wide advancement, he outlined pipeline projects aimed at uplifting the socio-economic landscape of Rayalaseema. Water security will be prioritised by bringing resources from the Galeru Nagari project directly to Kodur and implementing the Jaladhara initiative to recharge drying groundwater tables.Industrial progress is set for a massive leap with a Royal Enfield manufacturing unit planned for Tirupati to complement the existing Hero MotoCorp facility in Satyavedu.Taking a jibe at the opposition, Naidu criticised the former ruling party’s disjointed rhetoric, accusing it of systematically undermining 93 distinct central initiatives during their tenure. Reaffirming the alliance govt’s commitment to progress, he said massive works are underway to secure a thriving capital at Amaravati, with substantial financial support flowing in from the Union govt. He guaranteed that the Polavaram project would be completed before the upcoming Godavari Pushkaralu.Concluding his speech with an appeal to the public for their continued cooperation, Naidu underscored the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ on the national stage and ‘Swarna Andhra Pradesh’ locally, asserting that the state’s journey towards prosperity is now unstoppable.Meanwhile, noting that people in Madhya Pradesh affectionately call him “Mamaji,” Chouhan said he had now become the “maternal uncle” of Andhra Pradesh as well. He announced 74,212 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and ₹422 crore for rural road connectivity under the PM Gram Sadak Yojana, handing over the sanction letters to Naidu and Kalyan.The Union Minister also announced that the Centre would procure 2,16,250 metric tonnes of Totapuri mangoes under the Market Intervention Scheme and presented the approval documents to Naidu.