Lok Sabha Question No. 235 (STARRED), answered on 2025-12-16
Subject: Worker Participation under  MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Adv. Adoor Prakash

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 235 ANSWERED ON 16/12/2025

## WORKER PARTICIPATION UNDER MGNREGS

## *235. Adv. Adoor Prakash:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  decline  in  worker participation  in  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in many States including Kerala, State-wise;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has conducted any review of declining worker participation under MGNREGS, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the details of worker participation under MGNREGS during the last seven years and the current year, State-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

- (a) to (d):       A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  *235  TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  16.12.2025 REGARDING 'WORKER PARTICIPATION UNDER MGNREGS'

(a)  to  (d):  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS)  guarantees up to one hundred days of  guaranteed  wage  employment  in  every  financial  year  to  every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. Here  it  is  also  stated  that  it  is  a  fall  back  option  when  no  better employment opportunity is available. Since responsibility for implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS at ground level lies with the respective State/UT Governments, the Ministry regularly reviews   the implementation  with  State/UT  in  order  to  ensure  adherence  to  the provisions of the Act and providing timely employment as per demand. In FY 2025-26 (as on 11.12.2025), 99.70% of rural households demanding work have been offered employment.

Any  variations,  including  increase/decrease  in  the  employment provided across States/UTs,  including Kerala, depends on the demand for work made by eligible rural households and  employment  availed by the workers against the employment offered. While the work demanded closely matches with the work offered, the difference of work availed with the former is on account of lack of utilisation of such offering by workers. This could be on account of better employment opportunities elsewhere, illness or any other relevant factor. Further, owing to better employment opportunities elsewhere or good monsoon season demand for employment keep varying from year to year basis under the scheme.

In  order  to  generate  awareness  about  the  provisions  of  the Scheme  and  to  provide  adequate  employment  opportunities  to  rural households  under  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS,  all  States/UTs  carry  out appropriate Information Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns including wall paintings for wide dissemination of the provisions of the Act,  expand  scope  and  coverage  of  demand  registration  system  to ensure that demand for work under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA does not go unregistered, prepare plans in a participatory mode and approve them in the Gram Sabha and ensure Organization of 'Rozgar Diwas'.

The Ministry regularly reviews the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, including trends in worker participation through various fora  viz.,  Mid-Term  Review,  Labour  Budget  meetings,  Labour  Budget

Revision meetings, Programme Review meetings.

State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of workers provided employment  under  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  during  the  last  seven financial years and the current financial year 2025-26 (as on 11.12.2025) is given at Annexure.

*****

## Annexure referred in reply to parts (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 235 dated 16.12.2025.

| State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of workers provided employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last seven financial years and the current financial year 2025-26 (as on   | State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of workers provided employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last seven financial years and the current financial year 2025-26 (as on   | State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of workers provided employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last seven financial years and the current financial year 2025-26 (as on   | State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of workers provided employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last seven financial years and the current financial year 2025-26 (as on   | State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of workers provided employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last seven financial years and the current financial year 2025-26 (as on   | State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of workers provided employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last seven financial years and the current financial year 2025-26 (as on   | State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of workers provided employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last seven financial years and the current financial year 2025-26 (as on   | State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of workers provided employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last seven financial years and the current financial year 2025-26 (as on   | State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of workers provided employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last seven financial years and the current financial year 2025-26 (as on   | State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of workers provided employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last seven financial years and the current financial year 2025-26 (as on   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SI. No .                                                                                                                                                                                | State/UTs                                                                                                                                                                               | 2018-19                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2019-20                                                                                                                                                                                 | Workers 2020-21                                                                                                                                                                         | provided 2021-22                                                                                                                                                                        | employment 2022-23                                                                                                                                                                      | 2023-24                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2024-25                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2025-26                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 1                                                                                                                                                                                       | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                          | 6909542                                                                                                                                                                                 | 6500099                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7952471                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7737145                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7599041                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7542774                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7523192                                                                                                                                                                                 | 6437654                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 2                                                                                                                                                                                       | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                       | 169235                                                                                                                                                                                  | 182670                                                                                                                                                                                  | 243521                                                                                                                                                                                  | 278558                                                                                                                                                                                  | 287823                                                                                                                                                                                  | 282304                                                                                                                                                                                  | 311416                                                                                                                                                                                  | 312296                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 3                                                                                                                                                                                       | Assam                                                                                                                                                                                   | 2458226                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2770697                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3571816                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3987152                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3429176                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3347046                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2635656                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1741219                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 4                                                                                                                                                                                       | Bihar                                                                                                                                                                                   | 3360577                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3832298                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5814920                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5411860                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5775151                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5383600                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5622579                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5003773                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 5                                                                                                                                                                                       | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                                                                                            | 4568868                                                                                                                                                                                 | 4544184                                                                                                                                                                                 | 6017874                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5506469                                                                                                                                                                                 | 4719032                                                                                                                                                                                 | 4414138                                                                                                                                                                                 | 4483974                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2691215                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 6                                                                                                                                                                                       | Goa                                                                                                                                                                                     | 1161                                                                                                                                                                                    | 1751                                                                                                                                                                                    | 4365                                                                                                                                                                                    | 3478                                                                                                                                                                                    | 3862                                                                                                                                                                                    | 2186                                                                                                                                                                                    | 3192                                                                                                                                                                                    | 2326                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 7                                                                                                                                                                                       | Gujarat                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1516947                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1326194                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1931861                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1843874                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1630751                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1511621                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1306277                                                                                                                                                                                 | 900961                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 8                                                                                                                                                                                       | Haryana                                                                                                                                                                                 | 326861                                                                                                                                                                                  | 364019                                                                                                                                                                                  | 651129                                                                                                                                                                                  | 569854                                                                                                                                                                                  | 440703                                                                                                                                                                                  | 524003                                                                                                                                                                                  | 478818                                                                                                                                                                                  | 355310                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 9                                                                                                                                                                                       | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                        | 736077                                                                                                                                                                                  | 716133                                                                                                                                                                                  | 891622                                                                                                                                                                                  | 995654                                                                                                                                                                                  | 880712                                                                                                                                                                                  | 949218                                                                                                                                                                                  | 1026193                                                                                                                                                                                 | 635097                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 10                                                                                                                                                                                      | Jammu and Kashmir                                                                                                                                                                       | 981253                                                                                                                                                                                  | 920942                                                                                                                                                                                  | 1127905                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1085127                                                                                                                                                                                 | 989074                                                                                                                                                                                  | 993446                                                                                                                                                                                  | 1055750                                                                                                                                                                                 | 770496                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 11                                                                                                                                                                                      | Jharkhand                                                                                                                                                                               | 1623143                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1762509                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3204487                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3099049                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2497483                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2559494                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2311373                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2299269                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 12                                                                                                                                                                                      | Karnataka                                                                                                                                                                               | 3934472                                                                                                                                                                                 | 4108973                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5668569                                                                                                                                                                                 | 6361291                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5315915                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5402381                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5172297                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3631775                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 13                                                                                                                                                                                      | Kerala                                                                                                                                                                                  | 1708184                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1654129                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1882654                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1898995                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1758623                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1661622                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1540284                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1310876                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 14                                                                                                                                                                                      | Ladakh                                                                                                                                                                                  | 0                                                                                                                                                                                       | 37035                                                                                                                                                                                   | 38058                                                                                                                                                                                   | 37457                                                                                                                                                                                   | 39176                                                                                                                                                                                   | 36516                                                                                                                                                                                   | 37175                                                                                                                                                                                   | 34838                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 15                                                                                                                                                                                      | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                          | 6672026                                                                                                                                                                                 | 6166051                                                                                                                                                                                 | 10530733                                                                                                                                                                                | 9568909                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7550368                                                                                                                                                                                 | 6373186                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5772978                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5218046                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 16                                                                                                                                                                                      | Maharashtra                                                                                                                                                                             | 3275525                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2745962                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3109789                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3688009                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3706159                                                                                                                                                                                 | 4128113                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5112002                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5133912                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 17                                                                                                                                                                                      | Manipur                                                                                                                                                                                 | 570353                                                                                                                                                                                  | 590185                                                                                                                                                                                  | 604230                                                                                                                                                                                  | 593711                                                                                                                                                                                  | 374635                                                                                                                                                                                  | 503268                                                                                                                                                                                  | 565784                                                                                                                                                                                  | 513700                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 18                                                                                                                                                                                      | Meghalaya                                                                                                                                                                               | 679527                                                                                                                                                                                  | 715056                                                                                                                                                                                  | 752426                                                                                                                                                                                  | 731124                                                                                                                                                                                  | 645192                                                                                                                                                                                  | 629087                                                                                                                                                                                  | 544506                                                                                                                                                                                  | 459578                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 19                                                                                                                                                                                      | Mizoram                                                                                                                                                                                 | 199965                                                                                                                                                                                  | 208131                                                                                                                                                                                  | 222695                                                                                                                                                                                  | 213601                                                                                                                                                                                  | 218722                                                                                                                                                                                  | 211413                                                                                                                                                                                  | 211355                                                                                                                                                                                  | 216948                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 20                                                                                                                                                                                      | Nagaland                                                                                                                                                                                | 416321                                                                                                                                                                                  | 425990                                                                                                                                                                                  | 418825                                                                                                                                                                                  | 463815                                                                                                                                                                                  | 491446                                                                                                                                                                                  | 468211                                                                                                                                                                                  | 216384                                                                                                                                                                                  | 271253                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 21                                                                                                                                                                                      | Odisha                                                                                                                                                                                  | 3366339                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3731602                                                                                                                                                                                 | 6214748                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5553162                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5174500                                                                                                                                                                                 | 4991241                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3376769                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2938674                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 22                                                                                                                                                                                      | Punjab                                                                                                                                                                                  | 824278                                                                                                                                                                                  | 908128                                                                                                                                                                                  | 1184204                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1072149                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1018291                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1015694                                                                                                                                                                                 | 984903                                                                                                                                                                                  | 850136                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 23                                                                                                                                                                                      | Rajasthan                                                                                                                                                                               | 7537391                                                                                                                                                                                 | 8051944                                                                                                                                                                                 | 11097642                                                                                                                                                                                | 10085964                                                                                                                                                                                | 8807151                                                                                                                                                                                 | 8696618                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7723342                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5206718                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 24                                                                                                                                                                                      | Sikkim                                                                                                                                                                                  | 72178                                                                                                                                                                                   | 67515                                                                                                                                                                                   | 76985                                                                                                                                                                                   | 74550                                                                                                                                                                                   | 71020                                                                                                                                                                                   | 70327                                                                                                                                                                                   | 68677                                                                                                                                                                                   | 58880                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 25                                                                                                                                                                                      | Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                                                                              | 6524708                                                                                                                                                                                 | 6488785                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7852828                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7995928                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7579248                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7939116                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7433984                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5739793                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 26                                                                                                                                                                                      | Telangana                                                                                                                                                                               | 4252199                                                                                                                                                                                 | 4074689                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5428833                                                                                                                                                                                 | 4878034                                                                                                                                                                                 | 4544958                                                                                                                                                                                 | 4062113                                                                                                                                                                                 | 4244192                                                                                                                                                                                 | 3045572                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 27                                                                                                                                                                                      | Tripura                                                                                                                                                                                 | 739389                                                                                                                                                                                  | 784279                                                                                                                                                                                  | 833409                                                                                                                                                                                  | 852746                                                                                                                                                                                  | 819752                                                                                                                                                                                  | 843062                                                                                                                                                                                  | 813537                                                                                                                                                                                  | 720468                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 28                                                                                                                                                                                      | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                                                                                           | 6148180                                                                                                                                                                                 | 6450465                                                                                                                                                                                 | 11603211                                                                                                                                                                                | 9543735                                                                                                                                                                                 | 8367851                                                                                                                                                                                 | 8128130                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7583469                                                                                                                                                                                 | 5528099                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 29                                                                                                                                                                                      | Uttarakhand                                                                                                                                                                             | 637929                                                                                                                                                                                  | 660783                                                                                                                                                                                  | 909281                                                                                                                                                                                  | 792067                                                                                                                                                                                  | 681227                                                                                                                                                                                  | 638095                                                                                                                                                                                  | 575358                                                                                                                                                                                  | 308756                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 30                                                                                                                                                                                      | West Bengal                                                                                                                                                                             | 7425666                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7968168                                                                                                                                                                                 | 11826053                                                                                                                                                                                | 11121629                                                                                                                                                                                | 2020079                                                                                                                                                                                 | 9415                                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| 31                                                                                                                                                                                      | Andaman and Nicobar                                                                                                                                                                     | 7080                                                                                                                                                                                    | 6924                                                                                                                                                                                    | 9532                                                                                                                                                                                    | 5715                                                                                                                                                                                    | 5387                                                                                                                                                                                    | 5025                                                                                                                                                                                    | 3523                                                                                                                                                                                    | 1508                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 32                                                                                                                                                                                      | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman                                                                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                                                                                       | 2188                                                                                                                                                                                    | 10496                                                                                                                                                                                   | 6294                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 33 p                                                                                                                                                                                    | and Diu Lakshadwee                                                                                                                                                                      | 259                                                                                                                                                                                     | 124                                                                                                                                                                                     | 75                                                                                                                                                                                      | 24                                                                                                                                                                                      | 101                                                                                                                                                                                     | 77                                                                                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| 34                                                                                                                                                                                      | Puducherry                                                                                                                                                                              | 35931                                                                                                                                                                                   | 43092                                                                                                                                                                                   | 53406                                                                                                                                                                                   | 41030                                                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|                                                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                         | 7767979                                                                                                                                                                                 | 7880950                                                                                                                                                                                 | 11173015                                                                                                                                                                                | 10609186                                                                                                                                                                                | 45511 8748812                                                                                                                                                                           | 58705 8338343                                                                                                                                                                           | 50264 7879969                                                                                                                                                                           | 50034 6239547                                                                                                                                                                           |
|                                                                                                                                                                                         | Total                                                                                                                                                                                   | 0                                                                                                                                                                                       | 6                                                                                                                                                                                       | 7                                                                                                                                                                                       | 5                                                                                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                                                                                       | 3                                                                                                                                                                                       | 9                                                                                                                                                                                       | 4                                                                                                                                                                                       |

(As per NREGASoft)

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