Lok Sabha Question No. 268 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-22
Subject: Reformation of MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Malaiyarasan D

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 268 ANSWERED ON 22/07/2025

## REFORMATION OF MGNREGS

## 268.  SHRI MALAIYARASAN D:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the  features  of  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS);
- (b) the  number  of  beneficiaries  availed  employment  under  such scheme within Tamil Nadu during the last three years;
- (c) the  funds  allocated  and  utilized  for  the  implementation  of MGNREGS within Tamil Nadu during the last three years;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  evaluation  or impact  assessment  of  the  MGNREG  scheme  to  measure  its effectiveness  in  providing  sustainable  livelihoods,  improving rural infrastructure and alleviating poverty;
- (e) the  number  of  beneficiaries  under  MGNREGS  who  have  been provided with skilling opportunities or employment in livelihood creation beyond mere manual labour; and
- (f) whether the Government has any plans to expand or reform the MGNREG scheme, including measures to increase wage rates, improve work quality, or integrate technology for better monitoring and management, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a):  The  salient  features  of  the  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS)  are detailed at Annexure.

- (b):    Number of workers who availed of employment in Tamil Nadu State under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) during the last three financial years are given below:

| Financial Year                                                       |   2022-23 |   2023-24 |   2024-25 |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Number of workers who availed of employment in Tamil Nadu [In Lakhs] |     75.79 |     79.39 |     74.34 |

(as per NREGASoft)

(c): The  details  of  funds  released  by  Central  Government  to  the State  of  Tamil  Nadu  for  the  implementation  of  Mahatma  Gandhi NREG  Scheme  and  expenditure  (Including  State  Share) incurred under  the  scheme  during  the  last  three  financial  years  is  given below:

(Rs. in crore)

| Financial Year                      |   2022-23 |   2023-24 |   2024-25 |
|-------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Central funds released              |   9743.53 |   12616.5 |   7585.49 |
| Expenditure (Including State Share) |  11421    |   13395.5 |  10744.8  |

- (d):    Government of India has made assessment of implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS through third party study in terms of increase in household income, poverty alleviation etc. sponsored by NITI  Aayog  in  2020.  Some  of  the  key  findings  of  the  study  are  as under:
- (i)  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGA  is  a  powerful  instrument  for  inclusive growth  in  rural  India  through  its  impact  on  social  protection, livelihood security and democratic empowerment.
- (ii) Mahatma Gandhi NREGS provides livelihood security for the poor through  creation  of  durable  assets,  improved  water  security,  soil conservation and higher land productivity.
- (iii)  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  has  had  a  positive  impact  on  the standard  of  living  of  households  through  increase  in  household income by improvements in production from agriculture.
- (iv) Mahatma Gandhi NREGA has led to major increases in wages of rural workers.

- (v)  SC,  ST  and  Women  along  with  socially  excluded  communities benefit  from  and  are  included  in  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGA  plans which could be a significant indicator of poverty alleviation in rural areas.
- (e):     In order to upgrade the skill base of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS workers, Government of India launched 'Project UNNATI' in December 2019. By upgrading skill base of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS workers,  the  project  intends  to  improve  their  livelihoods,  so  that they can move from the current partial employment to full employment through either self employment or wage employment. The  Project  aims  to  enhance  the  skill  base  of 2  lakh  Mahatma Gandhi NREGS workers. The total achievement till 31 st  March 2025 is 90,894 candidates.
- (f):     Ministry  of  Rural  Development  has  continuously  undertaken various  steps  to  strengthen  the  quality  of  implementation  of  the its
- scheme.  Several steps have been undertaken to improve effectiveness, efficiency and relevance in changing rural contexts.
- i. Targeted interventions in Natural Resource Management (NRM) and agriculture-related activities have yielded a substantial reduction in water-stressed blocks. From FY 201718 to FY 2023-24, the number of such blocks has declined from 2,264  to  1,456,  with  1,519  blocks  across  199  districts  in  18 states  removed  from  the  water-stressed  list.  This  reflects MGNREGS's  success  in  transitioning  from  water  scarcity  to water security.
- ii. Mission  AmritSarovar:  Mission  AmritSarovar  was  launched  in FY 2022 guided by vision of Hon'ble Prime Minister in order to construct  or  rejuvenate  50,000  water  bodies  across  India, aiming  to  strengthen  water  conservation  efforts  nationwide. The  mission's  first  phase  exceeded  expectations,  with  over 68,000  AmritSarovars  developed,  showcasing  a  successful 'whole of government' approach. An impact assessment by IIT Delhi  revealed  a  16.3%  increase  in  surface  area  of  water bodies  and  a  42%  reduction  in  dry  water  bodies.  A  parallel study by GIZ India emphasized the mission's broader environmental and socio-economic benefits, including improvements in groundwater recharge, agriculture productivity, biodiversity and rural livelihoods.
- iii.
- Social Audit:- As per the mandate of the Act, social audits of all the Gram Panchayats are required to be conducted at least

- twice a year. A total of 27 States and 1 UT have established Social Audit Units.
- iv. Aadhaar  Based  Payment  System:  Under  Mahatma  Gandhi NREGA Direct  Benefit  Transfer,  all  payments  to  the  workers are  to  be  credited  into  the  accounts  of  the  workers  through Aadhaar based payment system. 99.6% of Aadhaar numbers of the  active  workers  have been successfully seeded under the scheme.
- v. GIS based plan- Use of Space Technology: GIS based GP level plan  (ridge  to  valley  approach)  preparation  using  Remote Sensing technology in a saturation mode for all the GPs of the country.
- vi. Yuktdhara:   GIS  based  planning  tool  -  To  simplify  the  GIS based  planning  at  GP  level  under  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGA  ' Yuktdhara'  a Geospatial planning portal is developed  in collaboration with ISRO-NRSC.
- vii. SECURE  -  Software  for  Estimate  Calculation  for  using  Rural Rates for Employment: Application is being used for estimate the calculation of works to be undertaken under the scheme.
- viii. GeoNREGA:  the  app  has  been  developed  by  using  Space Technology to track the creation of assets by geotagging it, at 'Before', 'During' and 'After' stages of the asset creation. Till date 6.36 crore assets have been geotagged.
- ix. National Mobile Monitoring Service (NMMS): enables capturing of attendance of workers at Mahatma Gandhi NREGA worksites (except for individual beneficiary works) along with geo-tagged photographs twice a day.
- x. Area Officer Monitoring Visit Application:  This App facilitates the officials of the State/UT to record their field visit findings online and facilitates the officials to record time stamped and geotagged photograph for all the worksites visited.
- xi. JALDOOT App: enables Gram RojgarSahayak (GRS) to measure the  water  level  of  selected  wells  twice  a  year  (pre-monsoon and post-monsoon).
- xii. JANMANREGA app: aids in proactive disclosure of information to  its  citizens  as  well  as  a  feedback  mechanism  about  the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA.

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Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (a)  of  LokSabhaUnstarred Question No. 268 dated 22.07.2025.

## The salient features of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS are as under:

- i. Adult  members  of  a  rural  household,  willing  to  do  unskilled manual work, may apply for registration in writing or orally to the local Gram Panchayat.
- ii. The  Gram  Panchayat  after  due  verification  will  issue  a  Job Card free of cost within 15 days.
- iii. The worker has a right to demand and receive work within 15 days  of  the  receipt  of  the  application  or  the  date  of  the demand in case of advance application, whichever is later, as mandated by the Act.
- iv. In  case  employment  is  not  provided  within  fifteen  days  from the  date  of  registration  of  the  demand  for  work  or  the  date from  which  work  has  been  demanded  in  case  of  advance applications, whichever is later, the worker is legally entitled to a daily unemployment allowance.
- v. Preparation of Labour Budget (LB) which is an essential annual work  plan  document  that  entails  planning,  approval,  funding and project execution modalities.
- vi. The shelf of projects for a village will be recommended by the gram sabha and approved by the zillapanchayat. At least 50% of works will be allotted to Gram Panchayats for execution.
- vii. Permissible works predominantly include water and soil conservation, afforestation and land development works.
- viii. A 60:40 wage and material ratio has to be maintained at the district level. No contractors and labour displacing machinery is allowed.
- ix. The  Central  Government  bears  100  percent  wage  cost  of unskilled  manual  labour  and  75  percent  of  the  material  cost including the wages of skilled and semi-skilled workers.
- x. Social Audit has to be done by the Gram Sabha.
- xi. Grievance redressal mechanisms have to be put in place for ensuring a responsive implementation process.
- xii. All  accounts  and  records  relating  to  the  Scheme  should  be available for public scrutiny.

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