New Delhi, May 4 -- Only 17.5 million people sought work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), now renamed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin (VB-G RAM G), in April, down nearly 36% from 27.2 million a year ago, according to data from the rural development ministry.

Though rural work demand under the scheme was low during the month, it may reflect a continuation of a trend seen since July 2025, when job demand fell 11-36% year-on-year. It could also indicate implementation challenges arising from the transition to the scheme's new iteration-VB-G RAM G.

In March, participation fell to 18.4 million, suggesting lower demand at the end of the fiscal year. The moderatio...