Bihar lifts work ban to provide jobs in flood and drought districts

Workers across 38 districts of Bihar can now get employment after the state government lifted construction restrictions.

Employment Initiative

The Bihar Rural Development Department started efforts on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, to employ unskilled workers under the Viksit Bharat — Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin or VB-G RAM G scheme. The initiative aims to support poor households in areas hit by floods and drought. Twenty-two districts suffered severe floods this year, while 16 districts experienced drought due to low rainfall. Officials noted that the drought damaged the Rabi crop and lowered the demand for farm workers.

Repair Work

Floods caused extensive damage to roads, bridges, culverts, pathways, and embankments in the affected regions. Officials stated that infrastructure repair is urgently required. The state also wants to ensure jobs for returning workers ahead of upcoming festivals. Construction work had earlier been suspended from October 22 to December 10, 2026, to protect farming activities. However, the work-break period has now been relaxed so workers can receive up to 125 days of wages under the employment guarantee programme. Rural Development and IPRD Minister Shravan Kumar told the media that repairing damaged infrastructure is essential to speed up development.

Context

The VB-G RAM G scheme was launched nationwide on July 1, 2026, with funding shared by the central and state governments in a 60 to 40 ratio. Public works programmes of this kind help provide a safety net for rural households during natural disasters.