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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1439
ANSWERED ON 28/07/2026
AVERAGE WORK DAYS UNDER MGNREGS
1439. Shri S Venkatesan:
Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) the details of average work days under Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)
since inception, year-wise;
(b) the manner in which the Government proposes to increase its
share of allocation to ensure the provision of 125 days of
employment in a year;
(c) the details of additional financial burden on the Government
alone and on the States collectively under this scenario
assuming that the average number of employment days is 50
days, 80 days and 125 days; and
(d) the details of estimated quantum of financial burden based on
the last year spending for MGNREGS?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)
(a): Year-wise details of the average work days per household under
the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme
(Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) from 2008-09 to current financial year
2026-27 (as on 23.07.2026) are given at Annexure.
(b): The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission
(Gramin): VB–G RAM G Act, 2025 provides for a statutory guarantee
of 125 days of wage employment in a financial year to every willing
rural household demanding work, as against 100 days under the
erstwhile MGNREGS. The scope of the works has also been
significantly expanded by providing a wider range of permissible
works with focused emphasis on Water Security, Core Rural
Infrastructure, Livelihood Infrastructure and Mitigation of Extreme
Weather Events, while promoting convergence with other Central and
Page 1 of 3State Government programmes through a Whole-of-Government
Approach. Here it is also mentioned that keeping in view
the enhanced statutory employment guarantee and projected
demand for employment, Central Government has made a budgetary
allocation of Rs.95692.31 Crores for the scheme for the 09 months
period of FY 2026-27 i.e. 01.07.2026- 31.03.2027 at Budget Estimate
Stage. Total outlay of funds under the Scheme during this period is
likely to be more than Rs.1.51 lakh crore when the States' share is
taken into account.
(c) & (d): The financial requirements under the VB–G RAM G
depends on several dynamic factors, including the actual demand for
employment, the notified wage rates, the nature of works
undertaken, material expenditure and administrative costs etc.
Accordingly, the annual budgetary requirement under the Programme
is assessed keeping in view these factors. Allocation of Rs. ₹95,692
crore made for the financial year 2026–27 for the VB- G RAM G, is the
highest ever allocation made at Budget Estimate Stage for any rural
employment programme in the country. This is in addition to the
budget allocation of Rs 30,000 Crore made under MGNREGS for the
FY 2026-27 for first three months.
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Page 2 of 3Annexure
Annexure referred in the reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred
Question No. 1439 dated 28.07.2026.
Year-wise details of the average work days per household under
Mahatma Gandhi NREGS from 2008-09 to current financial year 2026-
27 (as on 23.07.2026).
Average days of employment provided per
Financial Year
household
2008-09 38
2009-10 42
2010-11 42
2011-12 43
2012-13 46
2013-14 46
2014-15 40
2015-16 49
2016-17 46
2017-18 46
2018-19 51
2019-20 48
2020-21 52
2021-22 50
2022-23 48
2023-24 52
2024-25 50
2025-26 43
2026-27
24
(as on 23.07.2026)
As available in NREGAsoft
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