Mr. Pratik Kumar will present his MTP2 as per the details below:

Date: Saturday, 20th June 2026

Time: 1030 - 1115 hrs.

Venue: C-TARA Conference Room No.1

Topic: VB G-RAM G as a Tool for Poverty-Free Village

Guide: Prof. Parmeshwar D. Udmale

Examiners: Prof. Amit Arora, Prof. Sarthak Gaurav

Abstract:

Poverty remains one of the most serious challenges in rural India. Although the country has made significant progress in reducing poverty over the years, many rural households still struggle to access basic needs. Poverty in rural India is a multidimensional challenge; it is not only related to low income but also includes factors such as education, housing, healthcare, sanitation, drinking water, clean cooking fuel, and standard of living. Achieving a poverty-free village is an important goal for India, and it is linked with Sustainable Development Goal 1, which aims to end poverty in all its forms. The study begins with a conceptual comparison between the MGNREG Scheme and VB G-RAM G, and also identifies the major changes introduced in the new framework. It further evaluates the coverage of MDPI indicators under the MGNREG Scheme and identifies the indicators that are directly covered, indirectly covered, or not covered.

The study highlights that the scheme has a strong coverage in the area of living standards but has limited coverage in health, nutrition, and education. The study highlights the role of the MGNREG Scheme in achieving poverty-free villages and assessing its contribution to the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MDPI) indicators through convergence with some other schemes, such as PMAY-G, PMUY-G, PMGSY, PM-KISAN, and Jal Jeevan Mission. Recently, the concept of Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), known as VB G-RAM G, has been introduced with a broader focus on achieving poverty-free villages through the convergence of multiple government schemes and outcome-based planning. Household surveys were conducted in Dhamanvan (Ahilyanagar) and Sonegaon (Dharashiv) to understand the ground-level impact of the MGNREG Scheme. The findings indicate that the scheme contributes positively to employment generation, income support, and asset creation but also highlight some of the challenges, such as a limited number of workdays, delayed wage payments, and limited impact on health and education outcomes under the MGNREG scheme.

The case study of Hiware Bazar village demonstrates the potential of effective implementation and community participation in reducing rural poverty. Based on the findings, the study proposes a modification in the design of VB G-RAM G by including agricultural operations on the lands of small and marginal farmers through a co-payment model. The approach has the potential to increase employment opportunities, improve farm productivity, reduce seasonal migration, enhance rural incomes, and accelerate progress towards SDG 1.