Lok Sabha Question No. 2366 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-04
Subject: Working Conditions of Rural Labourers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Dr. Mohammad Jawed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2366

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2025

## WORKING CONDITIONS OF RURAL LABOURERS

2366. DR. MOHAMMAD JAWED:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)whether there are any plans to introduce new regulations aimed at
- improving the working conditions of rural labourers;
- (b)if so, the details thereof;
- (c)whether the Government maintains data on the average number of workdays available to rural labourers annually and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)the details of the facilities and benefits currently being provided by the Government to rural labourers; and
- (e)whether the Government proposes to consider the establishment of a monitoring mechanism, such as labour tribunals at the block levels to address labour-related grievances in rural areas and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a) to (e):  Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee  Scheme  (Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS)  is  a  demand driven  wage  employment  Scheme  which  provides  for  the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of the country by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed  wage  employment  in  a  financial  year  to  every household  whose  adult  members  volunteer  to  do  unskilled manual  work.   It  provides  livelihood  security,  i.e.  fall  back options for livelihood for the rural households, when no better employment opportunity is available.

Details of average days of employment provided per household  under Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  in  the  last  five financial years are given below:

| Financial Year   |   Average days of employment provided per Household |
|------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
| 2024-25          |                                               50.23 |
| 2023-24          |                                               52.08 |
| 2022-23          |                                               47.83 |
| 2021-22          |                                               50.07 |
| 2020-21          |                                               51.52 |

(As per NREGASoft)

The  welfare  measures  to  workers  at  the  worksite under Schedule II of the Act are given at Annexure.

The implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS is the responsibility of the respective State/UT Governments. The Ministry has a comprehensive system of monitoring and review mechanisms  for  the  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS.  It  regularly reviews  the  performance  of  the  scheme's  implementation  in States/UTs through various means, such as Mid-Term Reviews, Labour Budget meetings, Labour Budget revision meetings, and programme review meetings. National Level Monitors, Common Review Missions, and officials from the Ministry visit States/UTs at regular intervals to assess the implementation of the scheme. Additionally,  Social  Audit  and  the  Ombudsperson  mechanism have  been  established  to  redress  grievances  and  ensure  the scheme is implemented as per the provisions of the Mahatma Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Act  (Mahatma Gandhi NREGA), 2005.

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## Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 2366 for 04.08.2025.

The welfare measures to workers at the worksite under Schedule II of the Act are given below:

(i) If any personal injury is caused to any person employed under the Scheme by any accident arising out of and in the course of his employment, he shall be entitled to such medical treatment as required, free of cost.

(ii) Where hospitalisation of the injured worker is necessary, the State Government shall arrange for such hospitalisation including accommodation, treatment, medicines and payment of daily allowance which is not less than half of the wage rate.

(iii)  If  a  person employed under the Scheme meets with death or becomes permanently disabled by accident arising out of and in the course of employment, he or his legal heirs, as the case may be, shall be paid by the implementing agency an ex gratia as per entitlements under the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana or as may be notified by the Central Government.

(iv) If any personal injury is caused by accident to a child accompanying a person who is employed under the Scheme, such person shall be entitled to medical treatment free of cost; and in case of death or disablement of the child due to the said accident, ex gratia shall be paid to the legal guardians as determined by the State Government.

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