AIAWU Criticises Revised VB-GRAM(G) Wage Rates, Demands Rs 700 Minimum Daily Wage

New Delhi: The All India Agricultural Workers’ Union (AIAWU) has criticised the Union government’s notification revising wage rates under VB-GRAM(G), formerly MGNREGA, for 2026–27, alleging that the increase remains inadequate to ensure a dignified standard of living for rural workers.

In a press statement issued on July 1, AIAWU said the revised wage structure fails to address the rising cost of living and does not provide sufficient income security for agricultural and rural labourers dependent on the employment guarantee scheme.

The organisation argued that annual wage revisions without meaningful linkage to inflation have contributed to continued economic hardship among rural workers. Referring to the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2023–24, AIAWU stated that average monthly per capita consumption expenditure in rural India stands at Rs 4,122 and estimated that a family of four requires between Rs 16,300 and Rs 18,000 per month to meet basic consumption needs.

According to the union, expenditure on food accounts for nearly half of household spending, while the remaining amount is spent on essential services such as healthcare, education, transport, electricity and communication. It argued that with only 125 days of guaranteed employment and current wage levels, the scheme is unable to provide sufficient annual income for most rural households.

The statement also linked the wage issue to rising prices of essential commodities. It cited increases in LPG refill costs, edible oil prices, and the cost of vegetables including tomatoes and onions as factors worsening the financial burden on rural families.

Highlighting state-level revisions, AIAWU pointed to Telangana, where the daily wage under the scheme reportedly increased by Rs 1, from Rs 307 to Rs 308, describing the change as inadequate. It further alleged that under the revised framework, workers in states where statutory agricultural minimum wages were previously higher than scheme wages have lost access to higher wage entitlements.

The union maintained that work carried out under the employment guarantee programme largely involves physically demanding manual labour under difficult conditions and therefore warrants wages higher than ordinary agricultural work. It cited examples from states where manual earthwork wages are substantially higher than those offered under the scheme.

AIAWU accused the Union government of neglecting the interests of rural workers while extending policy support to corporate sectors. The organisation condemned the latest notification and reiterated its demand for a uniform minimum wage of Rs 700 per day across the country.

The union also announced protests by agricultural and rural workers against the implementation of the new VB-GRAM(G) rules and said demonstrations would raise demands for higher wages and improved living standards in rural India.