Policy Specialist, Rural Development

Result of Service

The ultimate result of this consultancy will be: a draft methodological framework for the mapping and classification of green works under VB-GRAMG; and a draft KPI framework for permissible works under VB-GRAMG to enable objective monitoring of green outcomes

Work Location

Remote

Expected duration

4 months

Duties and Responsibilities

UNEP is the voice of the environment within the United Nations system. UNEP acts as a catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator to promote the sound use of the environment and sustainable development. Located within the Industry and Economy Division, the Finance and Economic Transformations Branch examines how the economy, trade and finance interact with the environment and contribute to sustainable development at the local, national, regional and global levels. Based in Geneva, the Division leads the Green Economy Initiative to help countries integrate environmental considerations into their economic and trade policies. The Economic and Fiscal Policy Unit (EFPU), under the Finance and Economic Transformations Branch of UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division, supports countries in advancing sustainable finance frameworks and economic policy reforms aligned with climate, nature, and pollution objectives. The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) is a multi-year inter-agency programme jointly implemented by UNEP, International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In India, PAGE is being implemented with UNEP as the lead agency, with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) serving as the nodal ministry in coordination with other sectoral ministries to advance an integrated green economy approach. The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) is one of the largest ministries of the Government of India and plays a central role in promoting sustainable and inclusive growth in rural areas through poverty reduction, livelihood enhancement, social protection, and rural infrastructure development. One of its flagship interventions, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), has since 2005 played a significant role in providing wage employment, stabilising rural incomes, and creating basic rural infrastructure. Building on this legacy, the Government of India has notified a new statutory framework, the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-GRAMG) Act, 2025, replacing MGNREGA and aligning rural employment programming with the long-term vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, while strengthening accountability, infrastructure outcomes, and income security. Under this Act, employment generation is integrated with infrastructure development through four priority verticals, namely water security through water-related works,...