T.N. CM Vijay Opposes Viksit Bharat Guarantee Scheme, Flags ₹5,000 Crore Burden on Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has strongly opposed the Centre's Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) scheme, warning that its present funding model would place an additional financial burden of more than ₹5,000 crore on the state

. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vijay urged the Centre to revise the scheme's funding pattern, arguing that the current 60:40 cost-sharing formula between the Centre and states is financially unsustainable for Tamil Nadu. He said the new framework could also create operational challenges in implementing rural employment programmes effectively.

 The Chief Minister requested that the Centre fully fund the wage and administrative components of the scheme while adopting a 75:25 sharing ratio for material costs. He also sought greater flexibility for states in allocating funds according to local development priorities and stressed the need to protect rural livelihoods.

The Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), which came into effect on July 1, replaces the previous rural employment framework with a revised funding and implementation model. Vijay maintained that unless key provisions are amended, the scheme could strain state finances and affect the delivery of employment opportunities to rural communities.