Lok Sabha Question No. 2688 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-16
Subject: Direct Wage Payment under MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Maddila Gurumoorthy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2688 ANSWERED ON 16/12/2025

## DIRECT WAGE PAYMENT UNDER MGNREGS

## 2688. Shri Maddila Gurumoorthy:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  currently  there  is  no green  channel  for  direct  wage  payments  under  the  Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), resulting delays and dependency on State Government processes;
- (b) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  create  a  dedicated mechanism  or  green  channel  for  timely  payment  of  wages directly to the labourers by the Central Government, excluding the material component, to ensure financial independence and transparency;
- (c) if so, the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Ministry to streamline  wage  payments  directly  to  beneficiaries  without routing through the State Government machinery;
- (d) whether the Government will consider delinking labour component payment from State processes to ensure that poor rural workers do not suffer due to administrative delays at the State level; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e): The Government has instituted a dedicated mechanism for the  timely  disbursement  of  wages  under  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS through the National Electronic Fund Management System (NeFMS). This system enables the Central Government to transfer the labour wage component directly into the bank or post office accounts of workers. By eliminating intermediate layers in the fund flow, NeFMS ensures prompt, transparent, and efficient wage payments, thereby

strengthening financial independence and accountability within the programme.

The  wage payment to workers are done through Direct Benefit Transfer  (DBT)  protocol  under  which    payments  are  credited  by Central Government directly to the accounts of beneficiary based on Fund Transfer Orders  generated by respected States/UTs. In order to further streamline the wage payment Aadhar Payment Bridge System (APBS)  has  been  introduced.    APBS  helps  in  better  targeting, increasing the efficiency of the system and reducing the delays in payments,  ensuring  greater  inclusion  by  curbing  leakages  and thereby, controlling expenditure and promoting greater accountability and transparency.

APBS also help in minimizing rejection of transactions due to the frequent changing of accounts. As on 11.12.2025, out of total 12.16 crores active workers Aadhar seeding of 99.67% of active workers (i.e.  12.12  crores)  has  been  completed  and  more  than  99%  wage seekers are receiving their wages directly into their bank accounts.

With regard to delinking of labour payment component from State processes it is stated that the Government has already operationalised  the  National  Electronic  Fund  Management  System (NeFMS),  which  effectively  addresses  concerns  related  to  delays arising from State-level administrative processes. NeFMS streamlines  the  fund  flow  mechanism  by  eliminating  intermediate layers  of  approval  and  preventing  the  parking  of  funds  at  various levels.  With  improved  monitoring  of  fund  utilization  and  payment status through this centralized platform, NeFMS ensures timely and efficient wage disbursement to rural workers

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