Lok Sabha Question No. 2622 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-02
Subject: Recommendation of Mahendra Dev Committee under MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shashi Tharoor

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

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2622 ANSWERED ON 02/08/2022

## RECOMMENDATION OF MAHENDRA DEV COMMITTEE UNDER MGNREGS

## 2622.   DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the wages paid under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee  Scheme (MGNREGS)  and  the  minimum  wages  paid  to unskilled agriculture  workers  along  with  the  percentage  difference  between  wages  paid  and minimum wages, State-wise;
- (b) whether the indexing of MGNREGA wages has been changed from Consumer Price Index-Agricultural Labour to Consumer Price Index - Rural, as recommended by the Mahendra  Dev Committee, if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  reasons  for  the delay in implementation;
- (c) the  details  of  the  increase  in  MGNREGS  wages  announced in  2021 along with the State wages and wage hikes; and
- (d) whether there  has  been  zero  increase  in  MGNREGS  wages  in  Kerala  despite  wage hikes announced for all other States, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

(a) & (c):  As per Section 6 (1) of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (Mahatma Gandhi NREGA), 2005, the Central Government may by notification specify the  wage  rate  for  unskilled  work  for  its  beneficiaries.  Accordingly,  the  Ministry  of  Rural Development  notifies  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGA  wage  rate  for  every  financial  year  for States/UTs.  To  compensate  the  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGA  workers  against  inflation,  the Ministry of Rural Development revises the wage rate every financial year based on change in Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labour (CPI-AL). The index is different for different States/UTs as notified by Labour Bureau, Shimla. If the calculated wage rate of any State/UT is  coming  lower  than  the  wage  rate  of  previous  financial  year,  it  is  being  protected  by maintaining the previous financial year wage rate. The wage rate is made applicable from 1st April of each financial year.

Centrally,  this  Ministry  does  not  maintain  data  on  minimum  wage  rates  in  respect  of States/UTs,  agricultural  or  otherwise. However each State/UT can provide wage over and above the wage rate notified by the Central Government.

State/UT-wise notified wage rates for unskilled worker under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, for the financial years 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 is given at Annexure.

(b):    The  Mahendra  Dev  Committee  submitted  its  report  to  the  Central  Government  on 25.01.2014.  The  report  was  examined  in  consultation  with  Ministry  of  Finance.  It  was decided not to accept its recommendation to change the base wage rate.

(d): In  the  previous  financial  year  2021-22,  the  notified  wage  rates  was  Rs.  291  for unskilled worker in the Kerala State under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, which is enhanced to Rs. 311 for current financial year 2022-23.

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| State/UT-wise notified wage rates for unskilled worker under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS   | State/UT-wise notified wage rates for unskilled worker under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS   | State/UT-wise notified wage rates for unskilled worker under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS   | State/UT-wise notified wage rates for unskilled worker under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS   | State/UT-wise notified wage rates for unskilled worker under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                              | State/UT                                                                            | FY 2020-21                                                                          | FY 2021-22                                                                          | FY 2022-23                                                                          |
| 1                                                                                   | ANDHRA PRADESH                                                                      | 237                                                                                 | 245                                                                                 | 257                                                                                 |
| 2                                                                                   | ARUNACHAL PRADESH                                                                   | 205                                                                                 | 212                                                                                 | 216                                                                                 |
| 3                                                                                   | ASSAM                                                                               | 213                                                                                 | 224                                                                                 | 229                                                                                 |
| 4                                                                                   | BIHAR                                                                               | 194                                                                                 | 198                                                                                 | 210                                                                                 |
| 5                                                                                   | CHHATTISGARH                                                                        | 190                                                                                 | 193                                                                                 | 204                                                                                 |
| 6                                                                                   | GUJARAT                                                                             | 224                                                                                 | 229                                                                                 | 239                                                                                 |
| 7                                                                                   | HARYANA                                                                             | 309                                                                                 | 315                                                                                 | 331                                                                                 |
| 8                                                                                   | HIMACHAL PRADESH - NON SCHEDULED AREA                                               | 198                                                                                 | 203                                                                                 | 212                                                                                 |
| 8a                                                                                  | HIMACHAL PRADESH - SCHEDULED AREA                                                   | 248                                                                                 | 254                                                                                 | 266                                                                                 |
| 9                                                                                   | JAMMU &KASHMIR                                                                      | 204                                                                                 | 214                                                                                 | 227                                                                                 |
| 10                                                                                  | LADAKH                                                                              | 204                                                                                 | 214                                                                                 | 227                                                                                 |
| 11                                                                                  | JHARKHAND                                                                           | 194                                                                                 | 198                                                                                 | 210                                                                                 |
| 12                                                                                  | KARNATAKA                                                                           | 275                                                                                 | 289                                                                                 | 309                                                                                 |
| 13                                                                                  | KERALA                                                                              | 291                                                                                 | 291                                                                                 | 311                                                                                 |
| 14                                                                                  | MADHYA PRADESH                                                                      | 190                                                                                 | 193                                                                                 | 204                                                                                 |
| 15                                                                                  | MAHARASHTRA                                                                         | 238                                                                                 | 248                                                                                 | 256                                                                                 |
| 16                                                                                  | MANIPUR                                                                             | 238                                                                                 | 251                                                                                 | 251                                                                                 |
| 17                                                                                  | MEGHALAYA                                                                           | 203                                                                                 | 226                                                                                 | 230                                                                                 |
| 18                                                                                  | MIZORAM                                                                             | 225                                                                                 | 233                                                                                 | 233                                                                                 |
| 19                                                                                  | NAGALAND                                                                            | 205                                                                                 | 212                                                                                 | 216                                                                                 |
| 20                                                                                  | ODISHA                                                                              | 207                                                                                 | 215                                                                                 | 222                                                                                 |
| 21                                                                                  | PUNJAB                                                                              | 263                                                                                 | 269                                                                                 | 282                                                                                 |
| 22                                                                                  | RAJASTHAN                                                                           | 220                                                                                 | 221                                                                                 | 231                                                                                 |
| 23                                                                                  | SIKKIM                                                                              | 205                                                                                 | 212                                                                                 | 222                                                                                 |
| 23a                                                                                 | SIKKIM(3 Gram Panchayat namely Gnathang, Lachung, Lachen)                           | 308                                                                                 | 318                                                                                 | 333                                                                                 |
| 24                                                                                  | TAMILNADU                                                                           | 256                                                                                 | 273                                                                                 | 281                                                                                 |
| 25                                                                                  | TRIPURA                                                                             | 205                                                                                 | 212                                                                                 | 212                                                                                 |
| 26                                                                                  | UTTAR PRADESH                                                                       | 201                                                                                 | 204                                                                                 | 213                                                                                 |
| 27                                                                                  | UTTARAKHAND                                                                         | 201                                                                                 | 204                                                                                 | 213                                                                                 |
| 28                                                                                  | WEST BENGAL                                                                         | 204                                                                                 | 213                                                                                 | 223                                                                                 |
| 29                                                                                  | GOA                                                                                 | 280                                                                                 | 294                                                                                 | 315                                                                                 |
| 30                                                                                  | ANDAMAN &NICOBAR                                                                    |                                                                                     |                                                                                     |                                                                                     |
| 30a                                                                                 | ANDAMAN                                                                             | 267                                                                                 | 279                                                                                 | 292                                                                                 |
| 30b                                                                                 | NICOBAR                                                                             | 282                                                                                 | 294                                                                                 | 308                                                                                 |
| 31                                                                                  | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu                                            | 258                                                                                 | 269                                                                                 | 278                                                                                 |
| 32                                                                                  | LAKSHADWEEP                                                                         | 227                                                                                 | 266                                                                                 | 284                                                                                 |
| 33                                                                                  | PUDUCHERRY                                                                          | 266                                                                                 | 273                                                                                 | 281                                                                                 |
| 34                                                                                  | TELANGANA                                                                           | 256                                                                                 | 245                                                                                 | 257                                                                                 |