Kolkata: The state govt is set to introduce a new bill to reform the panchayat system. According to the proposed legislation, panchayat pradhans will no longer serve as the signatory authority for panchayat-related work. Instead, the responsibility for signing and authorising official records will be vested in govt officials, panchayat and rural development minister Dilip Ghosh announced in the assembly.Presenting the budget for the panchayat and rural development department, Ghosh said that under the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (VB-G RAM G), which has been rolled out in the state from July 1, is aimed at expanding livelihood opportunities while strengthening rural infrastructure.The govt has set a target of generating 27.2 crore person-days during the remaining nine months of the 2026-27 financial year through departmental works. The revised wage structure raises the minimum daily wage to Rs 300.Ghosh said the Centre has announced an interim allocation of Rs 8,508 crore as its share for implementing the scheme in the state. The programme will continue under the 60:40 funding pattern, with the Centre contributing 60% and the state bearing the remaining 40%.The state budget has earmarked Rs 14,180 crore for implementing the employment guarantee programme during the current financial year. For 2026-27, the total outlay under the scheme has been projected at Rs 19,823.7 crore, including a Central share of Rs 14,159.8 crore and a state share of Rs 5,663.9 crore.Officials said the enhanced employment guarantee would provide greater livelihood security to rural households while creating durable community assets through public works undertaken by the panchayat and rural development department. The scheme is also expected to strengthen rural purchasing power and support the state’s employment-led growth strategy.Under VB-G RAM G, every adult member of a registered household listed on the Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card can seek unskilled manual work from the gram panchayat. Employment must be provided within 15 days of demand, failing which beneficiaries will be entitled to an unemployment allowance. Workers will also receive compensation if wages are not credited within 15 days of the closure of the muster roll.
