CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has sanctioned Rs 100 crore for its Vetri 150 scheme, providing an additional 25 days of wage employment to specified vulnerable rural households that complete the 125-day entitlement under the Centre’s VB-G RAM G scheme.

A Government Order issued by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department grants administrative and financial sanction for the extension, fulfilling a commitment announced in the State Budget for 2026-27.

The additional employment will be provided on a priority basis to women-headed households, single women, households with differently abled persons, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and beneficiaries covered under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, subject to completion of 125 days of work.

The extension will take eligible households’ annual employment to 150 days under the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), which came into effect on July 1, 2026, replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had directed officials at a review meeting on July 3 to provide the additional 25 days to eligible households completing the 125-day limit. The department subsequently sought approval to fund the extension from the State exchequer.

The Rs 100-crore allocation has been made from the Revised Budget Estimate for 2026-27.

The GO formalises the State-funded extension, but the additional 25 days are not a universal entitlement for all rural households covered by the employment scheme.