Can the constitutional mandate of rights-based welfare be effectively realised in the context of non-integrated governance and minimal public investment? Examine.

Gives a concrete expansion of social security coverage and the large gap that remains for informal workers.

• The Cabinet raised the EPFO wage ceiling from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 a month, bringing about 51 lakh more employees into EPF, EPS-95 and EDLI.
• The government's annual pension contribution rises by about ₹1,089 crore to around ₹11,339 crore.
• Note that over 80% of the workforce is informal and outside EPFO; the Code on Social Security, 2020, e-Shram and PM-SYM aim to reach them, but coverage remains thin.

Use the shift from MGNREGA to VB-G RAM G to examine whether a rights-based guarantee survives capped allocations and cost shifting to States.

• The VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, in force from 1 July 2026, promises 125 days of work against MGNREGA's 100, but replaces demand-driven funding with normative allocations.
• Costs are shared 60:40 with most States (90:10 for north-eastern and Himalayan States), whereas the Centre paid the full MGNREGA wage bill; States may pause work for up to 60 days.
• The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, citing ministry data, says July-August person-days fell from 29.77 crore in 2025 to 20.21 crore in 2026; the Centre says the law plugs leakages.