Lok Sabha Question No. 1450 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-29
Subject: Review of MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri  Selvaganapathi T.M.

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1450 ANSWERED ON 29/07/2025

## REVIEW OF MGNREGS

1450. Shri Selvaganapathi T.M.:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  review  of  the  Mahatma  Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for the financial year 2024-2025 revealed that while the coverage has  increased  with  an  8.6%  rise  in  the  number  of  registered households under the programme;
- (b) whether it is also a fact that the review has also revealed that the  delivery  of  promised  employment  has  gone  down  with person days having dropped by 7.1%;
- (c) whether  the  delayed  wages  are  a  key  factor  to  mismatch between MGNREGS coverage and delivery;
- (d) whether the reduced budget allocation by the Union Government has adversely affected the progress of the MGNREGS; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## ANSWER (SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)

(a) to (c): Details of number of registered households and persondays generated under Mahatma  Gandhi National Rural Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS)  in  the financial 2023-24 and 2024-25 are given below:

(Figure in crore)

| Financial Year   |   Number of registered households |   Persondays Generated |
|------------------|-----------------------------------|------------------------|
| 2023-24          |                             14.81 |                 312.16 |
| 2024-25          |                             15.99 |                 290.6  |

(As per NREGASoft)

Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, is a demand driven wage employment  scheme,  and  is  a  fallback  option  when  no  better employment  opportunity  is  available.  The  Government  of  India  is committed to provide adequate employment opportunities to willing eligible  rural  households  under  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  as  per demand. During  the  current  Financial  Year  (FY)  2025-26  (as  on 22.07.2025),  99.79%  of  the  eligible  rural  households  have  been offered employment against who have demanded the employment under the scheme.

The  Central  Government  has  initiated  several  measures  to generate awareness about the scheme. These include, (i) to initiate appropriate Information Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns  including  wall  paintings  for  the  wide  dissemination  of the provisions of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, (ii) to expand scope and coverage of demand registration system to ensure that demand for work under Mahatma Gandhi  NREGA  does  not  go  unregistered,  (iii)  prepare  plans  in  a participatory  mode  and  approve  them  in  the  Gram  Sabha,  (iv) Organization of 'RozgarDiwas'.

(d)& (e): Under   Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  for   the  FY  2024-25, budget  allocation  of  ₹86,000  crore  was  made,  which  was  the highest  ever  allocation  for  scheme  at  the  Budget  Estimate  (BE) stage  since  inception.  In  the  FY  2025-26,  the  Government  has retained this allocation at ₹86,000  crore, ensuring continued support for rural employment.

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. The release of fund under the  scheme  is  a  continuous  process  and  Government  of  India  is committed to making funds available as per demand for employment  on  the  ground.  In  the  Current   FY  2025-26  as  on 23.07.2025 an amount of Rs 45,783 crore has been released under the scheme out of which Rs.37,912 crore  is for payment of wages. There is no pending wage liability for FY 2024-25.

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