Lok Sabha Question No. 2561 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-14
Subject: Growth Rate of Rural Wages
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: M.K. Vishnu Prasad

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

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2561 ANSWERED ON 14/12/2021

## GROWTH RATE OF RURAL WAGES

## 2561.   DR. VISHNU PRASAD M.K.:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the growth rate of rural wages in the country since 2020, year-wise;
- (b) whether the growth rate of rural wages has declined since 2020;
- (c) if so, whether the Government has investigated the reasons for the decline; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): As per information shared by Ministry of Labour and Employment, Labour Bureau has  been  compiling  and  maintaining  average  daily  wage  rate  data  in  respect  of  selected agricultural and non-agricultural occupations on the basis of the data collected by the Field Operation  Division  (FOD)  of  National  Statistical  Office  (NSO),  Ministry  of  Statistics  and Programme Implementation  from a fixed set of 600 sample villages spread over 20 States.

All India annual average daily wage rates in rural area for the period 2020 to 2021 along with their growth rates are given below. The annual growth rate calculated for the period 2020 to 2021 indicates a positive growth.

| Annual average daily wage rates in respect of non-agricultural labourers in rural area and their growth rates   | Annual average daily wage rates in respect of non-agricultural labourers in rural area and their growth rates   | Annual average daily wage rates in respect of non-agricultural labourers in rural area and their growth rates   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Year                                                                                                            | Wage Rate                                                                                                       | Growth Rate                                                                                                     |
| 2019                                                                                                            | 291.87                                                                                                          | -                                                                                                               |
| 2020                                                                                                            | 310.19                                                                                                          | 6.28                                                                                                            |
| 2021*                                                                                                           | 320.48                                                                                                          | 3.32                                                                                                            |

As per Section 6(1) of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (Mahatma Gandhi NREGA), the Central Government may, by notification, specify the wage rate for unskilled work for its beneficiaries. Accordingly, the Ministry of Rural Development notifies  wage  rate  under  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGA  every  financial  year  for  unskilled workers.  To  compensate  the  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGA  workers  against  inflation,  the Ministry  of  Rural  Development  revises  the  wage  rates  every  financial  year  based  on Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourer (CPI-AL). The wage rate is made applicable from 1 st April of each financial year.

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

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