Lok Sabha Question No. 108 (STARRED), answered on 2024-12-03
Subject: Wage Disbursement under MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri K C Venugopal, Shri K Sudhakaran

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 108 ANSWERED ON 03/12/2024

## WAGE DISBURSEMENT UNDER MGNREGS

- *108. SHRI K C VENUGOPAL: SHRI K SUDHAKARAN:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that budgetary allocations for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)  have  consistently  fallen  short  of  the  demand projected  by  the  Government,  if  so,  the  reasons  for  these budgetary shortfalls;
- (b) the  details  of  the  budget  allocations,  revised  estimates  and actual expenditures for MGNREGS during the last five years in the country;
- (c)   the total amount of pending wage payments under MGNREGS, State-wise including Jharkhand;
- (d) the  reasons for  delay  in  wage  disbursement  under  MGNREGS and the average duration of these delays during the past year; and
- (e) the  corrective  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure timely payment of wages of MGNREGS workers and to address the funding gaps in MGNREGS?

ANSWER MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

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

## STATEMENT  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (A)  TO  (E)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 108 FOR 03.12.2024

(a)&(b):   For  the  financial  year  2024-25,  budget  allocation  of  Rs. 86,000 crores has been made at Budget Estimate (BE) stage, which is the highest ever allocation under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS)  at  the Budget  Estimate  (BE)   stage  since  inception.  The  details  of  funds allocation  at  the  Budget  Estimate  stage,  Revised  Estimate  stage and  fund  released  under  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  during  the  last five  financial  years  and  current  financial  year  2024-25  (as  on 27.11.2024) are given below:

| (Rs. in crore)             | (Rs. in crore)   | (Rs. in crore)   | (Rs. in crore)   |
|----------------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|
| Financial Year             | Budget Estimate  | Revised Estimate | Release          |
| 2019-20                    | 60,000.00        | 71,001.81        | 71,687.71        |
| 2020-21                    | 61,500.00        | 1,11,500.00      | 1,11,170.86      |
| 2021-22                    | 73,000.00        | 98,000.00        | 98,467.84        |
| 2022-23                    | 73,000.00        | 89,400.00        | 90,810.99        |
| 2023-24                    | 60,000.00        | 86,000.00        | 89,268.30        |
| 2024-25 (As on 27.11.2024) | 86,000.00        | --               | 74,976.84        |

(c):       State/Union  Territory-wise  details  of  pending  liabilities  for wage component under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS as on 27.11.2024 are given at Annexure. There is no pending liabilities for the wage component in respect of the State of Jharkhand as on 27.11.2024.

(d):    Mahatma Gandhi NREGS is a demand-driven wage employment Scheme. Under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, States/UTs furnish funds proposals to the Government of India. The Ministry releases funds periodically in two tranches with each tranche consisting of one or more installments, keeping in view the 'Agreed to Labour Budget', demand  for  works,  opening  balance,  pace  of  utilization  of  funds, pending liabilities, overall performance and subject to submission of relevant documents by the States/UTs.

Details  of  the  Fund  Transfer  Orders  (FTOs)   generated  within 15  days  from  the  closure  of  muster  rolls  under  Mahatma  Gandhi NREGS  during  the  last  financial  years  2023-24  and  the  current financial year 2024-25 (as on 27.11.2024) are given below:

| Financial Year                                         |   2023-24 |   2024-25 |
|--------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|
| % Fund Transfer Orders (FTOs) generated within 15 days |     97.98 |     98.91 |

- (e):       The Ministry has made concerted efforts to reduce delays in the payment of wages. A Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) on the timely  payment  process  for  direct  payment  into  the  account  of beneficiaries was issued and its implementation by the States/ UTs is being monitored on a regular basis. In addition, use of platforms such  as  Public  Financial  Management  System  (PFMS)/  National Electronic Fund Management System (NeFMS) has enabled real-time monitoring of the payments. The Ministry has taken following  steps to ensure timely payment of wages to workers under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS:
- (i) Implementation of National Electronic Fund Management System. It has been implemented in all States and 3 Union Territories.
- (ii) Intensive consultation with State Governments and other stakeholders  to  ensure  timely  payment  of  wages,  verification  of pending compensation claims and so on.
- (iii)  Formulation of Standard Operating Procedure for monitoring of timely payment of wages and payment of delay compensation.
- (iv) States/UTs are regularly requested to ensure the timely regeneration  of  rejected  transactions  and  correction  of  invalid accounts as per information provided by PFMS.
- (v) Aadhaar Based Payment System (ABPS) has been made mandatory since January 1, 2024, to ensure faster, safer, and timely wage disbursement to beneficiaries under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS.
- (vi)  Capturing  of  real-time  attendance  through  the  National  Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS).

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## Annexure

## Annexure referred in reply to part (c) of LokSabha Starred Question No. 108 dated 03.12.2024.

| State-wise pending FTOs for wages under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA during 2024-25 (as on 27.11.2024) (Rs. in lakh)   | State-wise pending FTOs for wages under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA during 2024-25 (as on 27.11.2024) (Rs. in lakh)   | State-wise pending FTOs for wages under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA during 2024-25 (as on 27.11.2024) (Rs. in lakh)   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl No.                                                                                                         | States/UTs                                                                                                     | Pending FTO                                                                                                    |
| 1                                                                                                              | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                 | 13767.05                                                                                                       |
| 2                                                                                                              | Assam                                                                                                          | 6572.52                                                                                                        |
| 3                                                                                                              | Goa                                                                                                            | 0.05                                                                                                           |
| 4                                                                                                              | Gujarat                                                                                                        | 3942.01                                                                                                        |
| 5                                                                                                              | Jammu & Kashmir                                                                                                | 3610.19                                                                                                        |
| 6                                                                                                              | Kerala                                                                                                         | 1504.74                                                                                                        |
| 7                                                                                                              | Maharashtra                                                                                                    | 10317.26                                                                                                       |
| 8                                                                                                              | Manipur                                                                                                        | 3715.25                                                                                                        |
| 9                                                                                                              | Mizoram                                                                                                        | 4422.68                                                                                                        |
| 10                                                                                                             | Nagaland                                                                                                       | 539.42                                                                                                         |
| 11                                                                                                             | Odisha                                                                                                         | 13904.09                                                                                                       |
| 12                                                                                                             | Uttarakhand                                                                                                    | 3750.02                                                                                                        |
| 13                                                                                                             | Puducherry                                                                                                     | 105.01                                                                                                         |
|                                                                                                                | Total                                                                                                          | 66,150.28                                                                                                      |

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