Lok Sabha Question No. 1435 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-09
Subject: Increase in Work-days under MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Smt. Anita Nagarsingh Chouhan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1435 ANSWERED ON 09/12/2025

## INCREASE IN WORK-DAYS UNDER MGNREGS

## 1435. Smt. Anita NagarsinghChouhan:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is considering increasing the limit of 100 work days in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to provide more wage days as 100  days  seem  inadequate  for  providing  employment  and livelihood security in rural areas;
- (b) if so, the proposals or suggestions currently under consideration of the Government in this regard;
- (c) the steps being taken by the Government to increase this limit in  view  of  unemployment  in  rural  areas,  seasonal  gap  in agricultural activities and livelihood crisis; and
- (d) whether the Government is likely to ensure that by increasing the wage days, a kind of permanent and secure employment is made available to rural families, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a)to (d): The mandate of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (Mahatma Gandhi NREGA), 2005, is to provide 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  every  financial year  to  every  household  whose  adult  members  volunteer  to  do unskilled manual work.

The Ministry mandates the provision of an additional 50 days of  wage  employment  (beyond  the  stipulated  100  days)  to  every Scheduled  Tribe  Household  in  a  forest  area,  provided  that  these

households have no other private property except for the land rights provided under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.

In  addition  to  this,  there  is  a  provision  for  providing  up  to  an additional  50  days  of  wage  employment  in  a  financial  year  in drought/natural  calamity-affected  notified  rural  areas.  Further,  as per  Section  3(4)  of  the  Act,  the  State  Governments  may  make provision  for  providing  additional  days  of  employment  beyond  the period guaranteed under the Act from their own funds.

The  responsibility  of  implementation  of  the  Mahatma  Gandhi NREGS is  vested  with  the  Governments  of  concerned  States/UTs. The  Scheme  guarantees  up  to  100  days  of  wage  employment subject to demand for work by the eligible beneficiaries. In the FY 2025-26 (as on 03.12.2025), 99.80% of the eligible rural households have been offered employment against their demand.

The Ministry continues to closely monitor the implementation of the scheme and provides necessary support to States to ensure that all eligible rural households are able to access employment as per their demand under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS.

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

Here,  it  is  stated  that  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  provides livelihood security, i.e. fall back options for livelihood for the rural households, when no better employment opportunity is available.

By offering predictable wage labour when needed, the Scheme significantly  contributes  to  income  stability  and  strengthens  the livelihood security of rural households.

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