Lok Sabha Question No. 456 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-22
Subject: Issues relating to wages under MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Rajeev Rai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 456 ANSWERED ON 22/07/2025

## ISSUES RELATING TO WAGES UNDER MGNREGS

## 456. SHRI RAJEEV RAI:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  workers  provided  with  employment  under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) during the last five years, State and yearwise;
- (b) whether funds under MGNREGS  have been continuously reduced during the said period;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) the number and details of the labourers receiving the payment of  wages  delayed  by  more  than  a  month  during  the  last  five years, State and year-wise;
- (e) the central share of daily wages  provided daily by the Government to each labourer, State-wise; and
- (f) the details of daily wages increased in this regard during the last five years, year-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)

- (a): State and year-wise details of workers who  availed of employment  under  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment Guarantee  Scheme  (Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS)  during  the  last  five financial years are given at Annexure-I.
- (b)& (c): Mahatma Gandhi NREGS is a demand-driven wage employment scheme. Funds release to States/UTs is a continuous process, and the Central Government is committed to making funds available to States/UTs for the implementation of the scheme as per the demand for work on the ground.

Regarding budget allocation for Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, it is submitted that, for the financial year 2024-25, budget allocation of ever allocation  for  scheme  at  the  Budget  Estimate  (BE)   stage  since financial  year  2025-26,  the  Government  has continued

₹86,000 crore has been made, which was  the highest inception. In the retained this allocation at ₹86,000 crore, ensuring support for rural employment.

Here it is also submitted that keeping in view demand driven nature  of  the  Scheme,  the  Ministry  of  Rural  Development  closely monitors demand  for employment  at  ground level and seeks additional funds from the Ministry of Finance, as and when required.

- (d): Under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last five years, more than 96% of Funds Transfer Orders (FTOs) have consistently been generated within 15 days of closure of muster roll. The Scheme is a demand-driven  wage  employment  programme  under  which  wage payments are directly credited by the Central Government into the accounts of beneficiaries through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) protocol.  Sanctions  for  wage  payments  are  issued  daily  by  the Ministry  through  the  Public  Finance  Management  System  (PFMS) based  on  fund  transfer  orders  received  from  the  States  after  due procedures.  At  the  beginning  of  each  financial  year,  admissible pending liabilities of the previous year, if any, are duly reimbursed by the Government of India. Accordingly all pending wage liabilities upto FY 2024-25 have already been cleared.
- (e) & (f): Under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, 100% of wage payments are  made  by  the  Central  Government  directly  to  the  accounts  of beneficiaries through DBT mode.

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 year based on change in Consumer  Price  Index  for  Agricultural  Labour(CPI-AL).  The  wage rate is made applicable from 1st April of each financial year.

Using the present methodology of wage  rate calculation, the central government has notified the wage rate and it has increased by around 5% (average) over the last year and around 29% (average) in  the  previous  5  years.  However,  State  Governments  can  provide wages  over  and  above  the  wage  rate  notified  by  the  Central

Government from its own sources. Currently,  three  States  i.e.  Jharkhand,  Himachal  Pradesh  & Odisha are providing a top-up over and above the wage rate notified by the central government.

State/UT-wise notified wage rates for unskilled workers under Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  during  the  last  five  financial  years  are given at Annexure-II.

*****

## Annexure-I

## Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (a)  of  LokSabhaUnstarred Question No.456 dated 22.07.2025.

| State and year-wise details of workers who availed of employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last five financial years. (Fig. in Crores)   | State and year-wise details of workers who availed of employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last five financial years. (Fig. in Crores)   | State and year-wise details of workers who availed of employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last five financial years. (Fig. in Crores)   | State and year-wise details of workers who availed of employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last five financial years. (Fig. in Crores)   | State and year-wise details of workers who availed of employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last five financial years. (Fig. in Crores)   | State and year-wise details of workers who availed of employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last five financial years. (Fig. in Crores)   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| States/UTs                                                                                                                                           | FY 2024-25                                                                                                                                           | FY 2023-24                                                                                                                                           | FY 2022-23                                                                                                                                           | FY 2021-22                                                                                                                                           | FY 2020-21                                                                                                                                           |
| Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                                       | 0.75                                                                                                                                                 | 0.75                                                                                                                                                 | 0.76                                                                                                                                                 | 0.77                                                                                                                                                 | 0.80                                                                                                                                                 |
| Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                    | 0.03                                                                                                                                                 | 0.03                                                                                                                                                 | 0.03                                                                                                                                                 | 0.03                                                                                                                                                 | 0.02                                                                                                                                                 |
| Assam                                                                                                                                                | 0.26                                                                                                                                                 | 0.33                                                                                                                                                 | 0.34                                                                                                                                                 | 0.40                                                                                                                                                 | 0.36                                                                                                                                                 |
| Bihar                                                                                                                                                | 0.56                                                                                                                                                 | 0.54                                                                                                                                                 | 0.58                                                                                                                                                 | 0.54                                                                                                                                                 | 0.58                                                                                                                                                 |
| Chhattisgarh                                                                                                                                         | 0.45                                                                                                                                                 | 0.44                                                                                                                                                 | 0.47                                                                                                                                                 | 0.55                                                                                                                                                 | 0.60                                                                                                                                                 |
| Goa                                                                                                                                                  | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 |
| Gujarat                                                                                                                                              | 0.13                                                                                                                                                 | 0.15                                                                                                                                                 | 0.16                                                                                                                                                 | 0.18                                                                                                                                                 | 0.19                                                                                                                                                 |
| Haryana                                                                                                                                              | 0.05                                                                                                                                                 | 0.05                                                                                                                                                 | 0.04                                                                                                                                                 | 0.06                                                                                                                                                 | 0.07                                                                                                                                                 |
| Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                     | 0.10                                                                                                                                                 | 0.09                                                                                                                                                 | 0.09                                                                                                                                                 | 0.10                                                                                                                                                 | 0.09                                                                                                                                                 |
| Jammu and Kashmir                                                                                                                                    | 0.11                                                                                                                                                 | 0.10                                                                                                                                                 | 0.10                                                                                                                                                 | 0.11                                                                                                                                                 | 0.11                                                                                                                                                 |
| Jharkhand                                                                                                                                            | 0.23                                                                                                                                                 | 0.26                                                                                                                                                 | 0.25                                                                                                                                                 | 0.31                                                                                                                                                 | 0.32                                                                                                                                                 |
| Karnataka                                                                                                                                            | 0.52                                                                                                                                                 | 0.54                                                                                                                                                 | 0.53                                                                                                                                                 | 0.64                                                                                                                                                 | 0.57                                                                                                                                                 |
| Kerala                                                                                                                                               | 0.15                                                                                                                                                 | 0.17                                                                                                                                                 | 0.18                                                                                                                                                 | 0.19                                                                                                                                                 | 0.19                                                                                                                                                 |
| Ladakh                                                                                                                                               | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 |
| Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                                                       | 0.58                                                                                                                                                 | 0.64                                                                                                                                                 | 0.76                                                                                                                                                 | 0.96                                                                                                                                                 | 1.05                                                                                                                                                 |
| Maharashtra                                                                                                                                          | 0.51                                                                                                                                                 | 0.41                                                                                                                                                 | 0.37                                                                                                                                                 | 0.37                                                                                                                                                 | 0.31                                                                                                                                                 |
| Manipur                                                                                                                                              | 0.06                                                                                                                                                 | 0.05                                                                                                                                                 | 0.04                                                                                                                                                 | 0.06                                                                                                                                                 | 0.06                                                                                                                                                 |
| Meghalaya                                                                                                                                            | 0.05                                                                                                                                                 | 0.06                                                                                                                                                 | 0.06                                                                                                                                                 | 0.07                                                                                                                                                 | 0.08                                                                                                                                                 |
| Mizoram                                                                                                                                              | 0.02                                                                                                                                                 | 0.02                                                                                                                                                 | 0.02                                                                                                                                                 | 0.02                                                                                                                                                 | 0.02                                                                                                                                                 |
| Nagaland                                                                                                                                             | 0.02                                                                                                                                                 | 0.05                                                                                                                                                 | 0.05                                                                                                                                                 | 0.05                                                                                                                                                 | 0.04                                                                                                                                                 |
| Odisha                                                                                                                                               | 0.34                                                                                                                                                 | 0.50                                                                                                                                                 | 0.52                                                                                                                                                 | 0.56                                                                                                                                                 | 0.62                                                                                                                                                 |
| Punjab                                                                                                                                               | 0.10                                                                                                                                                 | 0.10                                                                                                                                                 | 0.10                                                                                                                                                 | 0.11                                                                                                                                                 | 0.12                                                                                                                                                 |
| Rajasthan                                                                                                                                            | 0.77                                                                                                                                                 | 0.87                                                                                                                                                 | 0.88                                                                                                                                                 | 1.01                                                                                                                                                 | 1.11                                                                                                                                                 |
| Sikkim                                                                                                                                               | 0.01                                                                                                                                                 | 0.01                                                                                                                                                 | 0.01                                                                                                                                                 | 0.01                                                                                                                                                 | 0.01                                                                                                                                                 |
| Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                                           | 0.74                                                                                                                                                 | 0.79                                                                                                                                                 | 0.76                                                                                                                                                 | 0.80                                                                                                                                                 | 0.79                                                                                                                                                 |
| Telangana                                                                                                                                            | 0.42                                                                                                                                                 | 0.41                                                                                                                                                 | 0.45                                                                                                                                                 | 0.49                                                                                                                                                 | 0.54                                                                                                                                                 |
| Tripura                                                                                                                                              | 0.08                                                                                                                                                 | 0.08                                                                                                                                                 | 0.08                                                                                                                                                 | 0.09                                                                                                                                                 | 0.08                                                                                                                                                 |
| Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                                                        | 0.76                                                                                                                                                 | 0.81                                                                                                                                                 | 0.84                                                                                                                                                 | 0.95                                                                                                                                                 | 1.16                                                                                                                                                 |
| Uttarakhand                                                                                                                                          | 0.06                                                                                                                                                 | 0.06                                                                                                                                                 | 0.07                                                                                                                                                 | 0.08                                                                                                                                                 | 0.09                                                                                                                                                 |
| West Bengal                                                                                                                                          | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.20                                                                                                                                                 | 1.11                                                                                                                                                 | 1.18                                                                                                                                                 |
| Andaman and Nicobar                                                                                                                                  | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu                                                                                                             | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 |
| Lakshadweep                                                                                                                                          | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 |
| Puducherry                                                                                                                                           | 0.01                                                                                                                                                 | 0.01                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.00                                                                                                                                                 | 0.01                                                                                                                                                 |
| Total                                                                                                                                                | 7.88                                                                                                                                                 | 8.34                                                                                                                                                 | 8.75                                                                                                                                                 | 10.61                                                                                                                                                | 11.17                                                                                                                                                |

## Annexure-II

## Annexure referred to in reply to parts (e)&(f) of LokSabhaUnstarred Question No.456 dated 22.07.2025.

| State/UT-wise notified wage rates for unskilled workers under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last five financial years   | State/UT-wise notified wage rates for unskilled workers under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last five financial years   | State/UT-wise notified wage rates for unskilled workers under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last five financial years   | State/UT-wise notified wage rates for unskilled workers under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last five financial years   | State/UT-wise notified wage rates for unskilled workers under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last five financial years   | State/UT-wise notified wage rates for unskilled workers under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last five financial years   | State/UT-wise notified wage rates for unskilled workers under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last five financial years   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| (inRs.) Sl. No.                                                                                                           | State/UTs                                                                                                                 | 2020- 21                                                                                                                  | 2021-22                                                                                                                   | 2022-23                                                                                                                   | 2023 - 24                                                                                                                 | 2024-25                                                                                                                   |
| 1                                                                                                                         | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                            | 237                                                                                                                       | 245                                                                                                                       | 257                                                                                                                       | 272                                                                                                                       | 300                                                                                                                       |
| 2                                                                                                                         | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                         | 205                                                                                                                       | 212                                                                                                                       | 216                                                                                                                       | 224                                                                                                                       | 234                                                                                                                       |
| 3                                                                                                                         | Assam                                                                                                                     | 213                                                                                                                       | 224                                                                                                                       | 229                                                                                                                       | 238                                                                                                                       | 249                                                                                                                       |
| 4                                                                                                                         | Bihar                                                                                                                     | 194                                                                                                                       | 198                                                                                                                       | 210                                                                                                                       | 228                                                                                                                       | 245                                                                                                                       |
| 5                                                                                                                         | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                              | 190                                                                                                                       | 193                                                                                                                       | 204                                                                                                                       | 221                                                                                                                       | 243                                                                                                                       |
| 6                                                                                                                         | Goa                                                                                                                       | 280                                                                                                                       | 294                                                                                                                       | 315                                                                                                                       | 322                                                                                                                       | 356                                                                                                                       |
| 7                                                                                                                         | Gujarat                                                                                                                   | 224                                                                                                                       | 229                                                                                                                       | 239                                                                                                                       | 256                                                                                                                       | 280                                                                                                                       |
| 8                                                                                                                         | Haryana                                                                                                                   | 309                                                                                                                       | 315                                                                                                                       | 331                                                                                                                       | 357                                                                                                                       | 374                                                                                                                       |
| 9                                                                                                                         | Himachal Pradesh Non- Scheduled Areas                                                                                     | 198                                                                                                                       | 203                                                                                                                       | 212                                                                                                                       | 224                                                                                                                       | 236                                                                                                                       |
| 9(a)                                                                                                                      | Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Areas                                                                                          | 248                                                                                                                       | 254                                                                                                                       | 266                                                                                                                       | 280                                                                                                                       | 295                                                                                                                       |
| 10                                                                                                                        | Jammu And Kashmir                                                                                                         | 204                                                                                                                       | 214                                                                                                                       | 227                                                                                                                       | 244                                                                                                                       | 259                                                                                                                       |
| 11                                                                                                                        | Ladakh                                                                                                                    | 204                                                                                                                       | 214                                                                                                                       | 227                                                                                                                       | 244                                                                                                                       | 259                                                                                                                       |
| 12                                                                                                                        | Jharkhand                                                                                                                 | 194                                                                                                                       | 198                                                                                                                       | 210                                                                                                                       | 228                                                                                                                       | 245                                                                                                                       |
| 13                                                                                                                        | Karnataka                                                                                                                 | 275                                                                                                                       | 289                                                                                                                       | 309                                                                                                                       | 316                                                                                                                       | 349                                                                                                                       |
| 14                                                                                                                        | Kerala                                                                                                                    | 291                                                                                                                       | 291                                                                                                                       | 311                                                                                                                       | 333                                                                                                                       | 346                                                                                                                       |
| 15                                                                                                                        | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                            | 190                                                                                                                       | 193                                                                                                                       | 204                                                                                                                       | 221                                                                                                                       | 243                                                                                                                       |
| 16                                                                                                                        | Maharashtra                                                                                                               | 238                                                                                                                       | 248                                                                                                                       | 256                                                                                                                       | 273                                                                                                                       | 297                                                                                                                       |
| 17                                                                                                                        | Manipur                                                                                                                   | 238                                                                                                                       | 251                                                                                                                       | 251                                                                                                                       | 260                                                                                                                       | 272                                                                                                                       |
| 18                                                                                                                        | Meghalaya                                                                                                                 | 203                                                                                                                       | 226                                                                                                                       | 230                                                                                                                       | 238                                                                                                                       | 254                                                                                                                       |
| 19                                                                                                                        | Mizoram                                                                                                                   | 225                                                                                                                       | 233                                                                                                                       | 233                                                                                                                       | 249                                                                                                                       | 266                                                                                                                       |
| 20                                                                                                                        | Nagaland                                                                                                                  | 205                                                                                                                       | 212                                                                                                                       | 216                                                                                                                       | 224                                                                                                                       | 234                                                                                                                       |
| 21                                                                                                                        | Odisha                                                                                                                    | 207                                                                                                                       | 215                                                                                                                       | 222                                                                                                                       | 237                                                                                                                       | 254                                                                                                                       |
| 22                                                                                                                        | Punjab                                                                                                                    | 263                                                                                                                       | 269                                                                                                                       | 282                                                                                                                       | 303                                                                                                                       | 322                                                                                                                       |
| 23                                                                                                                        | Rajasthan                                                                                                                 | 220                                                                                                                       | 221                                                                                                                       | 231                                                                                                                       | 255                                                                                                                       | 266                                                                                                                       |
| 24                                                                                                                        | Sikkim                                                                                                                    | 205                                                                                                                       | 212                                                                                                                       | 222                                                                                                                       | 236                                                                                                                       | 249                                                                                                                       |
| 24 (a)                                                                                                                    | Sikkim (Three Gram Panchayats Named Gyanthang, Lachung And Lachen)                                                        | 308                                                                                                                       | 318                                                                                                                       | 333                                                                                                                       | 354                                                                                                                       | 374                                                                                                                       |
| 25                                                                                                                        | Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                | 256                                                                                                                       | 273                                                                                                                       | 281                                                                                                                       | 294                                                                                                                       | 319                                                                                                                       |
| 26                                                                                                                        | Telangana                                                                                                                 | 237                                                                                                                       | 245                                                                                                                       | 257                                                                                                                       | 272                                                                                                                       | 300                                                                                                                       |
| 27                                                                                                                        | Tripura                                                                                                                   | 205                                                                                                                       | 212 204                                                                                                                   | 212 213                                                                                                                   | 226                                                                                                                       | 242                                                                                                                       |
| 28                                                                                                                        | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                             | 201                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                           | 230                                                                                                                       | 237                                                                                                                       |
| 29                                                                                                                        | Uttarakhand                                                                                                               | 201                                                                                                                       | 204                                                                                                                       | 213                                                                                                                       | 230                                                                                                                       | 237                                                                                                                       |
| 30                                                                                                                        | West Bengal                                                                                                               | 204                                                                                                                       | 213                                                                                                                       | 223                                                                                                                       | 237                                                                                                                       | 250                                                                                                                       |
| 31                                                                                                                        | Andaman                                                                                                                   | 267                                                                                                                       | 279                                                                                                                       | 292                                                                                                                       | 311                                                                                                                       | 329                                                                                                                       |
| 31(a)                                                                                                                     | Nicobar                                                                                                                   | 282                                                                                                                       | 294                                                                                                                       | 308                                                                                                                       | 328                                                                                                                       | 347                                                                                                                       |
| 32                                                                                                                        | Dadra and Nagar Haveli                                                                                                    | 258                                                                                                                       | 269                                                                                                                       | 278                                                                                                                       | 297                                                                                                                       | 324                                                                                                                       |
| 33                                                                                                                        | Daman & Diu                                                                                                               | 227                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                           |
| 34                                                                                                                        | Dn Haveli                                                                                                                 | 266                                                                                                                       | 266                                                                                                                       | 284                                                                                                                       | 304                                                                                                                       | 315 319                                                                                                                   |
| 35                                                                                                                        | Puducherry                                                                                                                | 256                                                                                                                       | 273                                                                                                                       | 281                                                                                                                       | 294                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                           |

*****