New Delhi: Raising concerns over delays in the payment of wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), a parliamentary panel has called for measures including systemic improvements, timely allocation of funds, increased pension and enhanced social security measures to alleviate financial distress among rural workers and vulnerable segments.
In its eighth report tabled in the parliament on Thursday (April 3), the Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj stated that delays in the payment of wages continue to impact lakhs of rural workers who are dependent on the scheme, reported New Indian Express.
The report highlighted that despite digital advancements, workers often have to wait for long periods for their wages. It urged the government to rectify systemic bottlenecks and ensure that payments are made on time.
The panel asked the Union government to revise the wages under MGNREGS to at least Rs 400 per day and increasing the number of guaranteed working days under the scheme to at least 150 days from the current 100 days, reported Indian Express.
At present daily wages under MGNREGS currently vary across states, ranging from Rs 241 to Rs 400.
The panel also raised concerns over the declining budgetary allocation for employment guarantee scheme, despite the fact that demand for jobs under the scheme is on the rise. It also underlined the need for better social audits and the need of covering more women under MGNREGS.
The parliamentary committee report recommended revising the wage structure to match inflation and strengthening mechanisms for grievance redressal to protect workers’ rights.
The report noted that the present pension rates under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) are insufficient to meet basic needs and has urged the government to enhance the amounts.
In February this year,the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha had said in a statement that when inflation is accounted for, the scheme’s allocation in the 2025-26 budget is effectively lower by around Rs 4,000 crore compared to the 2024-25 budget.
While the allocation to the scheme in 2024-25 amounted to 0.26% of the GDP, the allocation in the budget presented on Saturday was equal to 0.24% of the GDP, its statement also said.
Under the MGNREG Act, rural households are guaranteed 100 days of employment a year at specially notified wages.
