Lok Sabha Question No. 2980 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-10
Subject: Increase in Wages and Days under MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri  Chhotelal

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2980 ANSWERED ON 10/03/2026

## INCREASE IN WAGES AND DAYS UNDER MGNREGS

## 2980. Shri Chhotelal:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to increase the wages under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) from Rs. 400 to Rs. 500 and increase the minimum days of work from 125 days to 200 days, if so, the details thereof; and
- (b) whether the Government proposes to employ the workers for agricultural works for 50 days, so that both the labourers and farmers also get benefited?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## (SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)

(a): As  per  Section  6  (1)  of  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural Employment  Guarantee  Act  (Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGA),  2005,  the Central  Government  may by notification  specify the wage rate  for unskilled work for its beneficiaries. Accordingly, the Ministry of Rural Development notifies Mahatma Gandhi NREGA wage rate for every financial year for States/UTs. To compensate the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA workers against inflation, the Ministry of Rural Development revises the wage rate every year based on change in Consumer Price Index  for  Agricultural  Labour  (CPI-AL).  The  wage  rate  is  made applicable from 1st April of each financial year.

Using the present methodology of wage rate calculation, the central government has notified the wage rate and it has increased by around 5% (average) over the last year and around 29% (average) in  the  previous  5  years.  However,  State  Governments  can  provide

wages  over  and  above  the  wage  rate  notified  by  the  Central Government from its own sources.

With  regard  to  increasing  the  number  of  working  days,  it  is submitted  that  the  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment Guarantee Act (Mahatma Gandhi NREGA), 2005, is an Act 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.

Here it is also stated that under Viksit Bharat- Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Grameen): VB - G RAM G Act, 2025, the guaranteed days of wage employment has been increased from 100 days to 125 days.

- (b):    There is no such proposal. However, eligible farmers and their family  members in rural areas can demand employment under the works which are currently permissible under MGNREGA.

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