Rural Employment Undergoes Major Overhaul with VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025
The Lok Sabha on December 18, 2025, passed the 'Viksit Bharat ā Guarantee For Rozgar And Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025,' marking a pivotal shift in India's rural employment policy. This new legislation is set to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which has been in force since 2005. The VB-G RAM G Bill increases the guaranteed wage employment from 100 to 125 days per rural household per financial year for adult members volunteering for unskilled manual work.
A fundamental change introduced by the Bill is its transition from a rights-based, demand-driven rural employment scheme to a budget-capped, supply-driven framework, aligning with the 'Viksit Bharat @2047' vision. The funding architecture also sees a significant alteration, with the scheme now operating as a centrally sponsored scheme. The cost-sharing pattern will be 60:40 between the Centre and states for most states and Union Territories, while northeastern and Himalayan states will receive enhanced support at a 90:10 ratio. The Bill emphasizes creating durable rural assets, such as water infrastructure and roads, and integrates planning through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans with national platforms like PM Gati Shakti.
New Education Bill Aims to Streamline Higher Education
Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan introduced the 'Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025,' in the Lok Sabha on December 15, 2025. This Bill aims to empower Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to achieve excellence by establishing a new, streamlined regulatory structure. It proposes the creation of a new apex body, the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan, along with three councils: a Regulatory Council, an Accreditation Council, and a Standards Council. The Bill intends to scrap existing laws governing the University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), bringing all higher education institutions under the purview of the new Adhishthan for standard setting. This reform is designed to implement the vision of the National Education Policy 2020, focusing on student-centric learning, flexibility, interdisciplinary approaches, and promoting quality research and innovation.
Boost for Science, Technology, and Innovation with New Policies and Schemes
India is set to launch its 5th National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP), which aims to reorient the country's STI priorities and strategies. Complementing this, the government has rolled out multiple missions and schemes to foster innovation, research, and technological development. A key initiative highlighted is the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme, approved with a substantial outlay of ā¹1 lakh crore over six years. This scheme is designed to encourage private sector participation in research and innovation, focusing on sunrise sectors such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum technologies, clean energy, biotechnology, space, and the digital economy.
Further strengthening the ecosystem, the National Quantum Mission (NQM) is being implemented with an outlay of ā¹6,003.65 crore for eight years, establishing four thematic hubs at premier institutions like IISc Bengaluru and various IITs. The Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) scheme continues to attract and nurture young talent in science and research from school to post-doctoral levels. Additionally, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has been established to seed, grow, and promote R&D across India's academic and research institutions. The biotechnology sector, in particular, has shown significant growth, expanding from USD 10 billion in 2014 to over USD 165.7 billion in 2024, with a projection of USD 300 billion by 2030, supported by initiatives like India's 1st National Biofoundry Network and the BioE3 Policy.
Economic Reforms and Social Welfare Initiatives Continue
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the India-Oman Business Forum on December 18, 2025, underscored India's transformative economic reforms over the past 11 years, crediting the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) as significant drivers of economic change. He also highlighted the importance of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Oman for accelerating trade and investment. In another economic development, India has streamlined its business visa rules to facilitate the movement of foreign engineers and technicians, a move expected to boost local manufacturing, particularly with Chinese professionals.
On the social welfare front, Minorities Rights Day, observed on December 18, 2025, brought attention to various government schemes for the educational, economic, and social empowerment of minorities, including a range of scholarships and skill development programs. Reforms to the National Pension System (NPS) in 2025 allow for an enhanced lump-sum withdrawal of up to 80% for non-government subscribers. However, the Ministry of Finance clarified on December 15, 2025, that there is no proposal to reinstate the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for central government employees under NPS or the Unified Pension System (UPS).