All registered workers migrated to VB-G RAM G; e-KYC not mandatory for employment: Centre

On August 30, 2026, the Union Rural Development Ministry announced that all registered workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) have been migrated to the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G), regardless of whether their e-KYC process has been completed.

The statement came in response to The Hindu's report on August 29, which highlighted that 57 lakh active workers' job cards have not yet undergone e-KYC. While the government acknowledged that 15.89 crore workers, including 10.27 crore out of the 10.84 crore active workers, have completed e-KYC, it emphasized that e-KYC is not a prerequisite for exercising the statutory right to demand employment under VB-G RAM G. The ministry clarified that not having completed e-KYC does not hinder a worker's ability to demand or receive employment, and an appropriate exception mechanism is available to facilitate employment demands for those with pending e-KYC.

The responsibility for e-KYC rests with the State and Union Territory governments, with the aim of enhancing authentication and maintaining a precise worker database. The process is straightforward and typically completed within 30 seconds. So far, every worker who has demanded employment has been offered work, with around 2.11 crore workers receiving employment under VB-G RAM G. The government urged states to expedite the e-KYC process for all active workers, expressing their continuous support and monitoring to ensure no willing worker is denied employment due to pending e-KYC.