Lok Sabha Question No. 32 (STARRED), answered on 2019-11-19
Subject: Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, Chandra Sekhar Bellana

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 32

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.11.2019

## MAHATMA GANDHI NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE SCHEME

## *32. SHRI MAGUNTA SREENIVASULU REDDY: SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR BELLANA:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that the average entry year in the share of workforce in the age group of 18-30 for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme began moving up after the financial year 2017-18;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  recognizes  this  as  a  sign  of  rural  distress  and  lack  of  job opportunities for the youth; and
- (d) whether the Government has any plan to alleviate this lack of job opportunities for the youth in rural areas and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## Statement in reply to Parts (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 32 for 19.11.2019

(a)&(b): As  per  the  Management  Information  System  (MIS),  the  average  share  of workforce under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) in the age group of 18-30 during the last four financial years is as under:

|   Year | Total individuals worked (in lakh)   | Total individuals worked under the age group 18-30 (in lakh)   | %of individuals worked under age group 18-30   |
|--------|--------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| 722.59 | 72.74                                | 10.07%                                                         | 2015-16                                        |
| 766.91 | 69.78                                | 9.10%                                                          | 2016-17                                        |
| 759.15 | 58.70                                | 7.73%                                                          | 2017-18                                        |
| 777.41 |                                      | 70.74 9.10%                                                    | 2018-19                                        |

(c):  No,  Sir.  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  is  a  demand  driven  wage  employment  programme.  It provides livelihood security i.e., fall back option for livelihood for the rural households when no better  employment  opportunity  is  available.  The  demand  for  work  is  influenced  by  various factors such as rain-fall, availability of alternative and remunerative employment opportunities outside Mahatma Gandhi NREGS. An additional 50 days of wage employment is provided over and above 100 days in the notified drought affected areas or natural calamity areas in the country on recommendation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

## (d): Does not arise.

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