This document summarizes the Indian government's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2620, addressed on August 5, 2025, regarding the deprivation of benefits under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for farmers in Municipal Council areas of Maharashtra. The question raised concerns about the exclusion of agricultural laborers in these semi-urban areas from the employment guarantee provided to those in rural areas.
Shri Kamlesh Paswan, Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development, clarified that the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, enacted in 2005, is designed to enhance livelihood security for households residing in *rural areas* of the country. The Act guarantees at least 100 days of wage employment in every financial year to households whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work. Consequently, the framework of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA does not extend to households residing in urban areas. The response indicates that there are no current plans to include farmers living in semi-urban areas under MGNREGS. The reason cited is that the Act's provisions are specifically applicable to households in rural areas.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Rural Development: A ministry of the Government of India responsible for rural development programs.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
Shri ChavanRavindraVasantrao: A member of parliament who raised a question in the Lok Sabha.
Maharashtra: A state in India where farmers in Municipal Council areas are allegedly deprived of MGNREGS benefits.
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS): An Indian labour law and social security measure that aims to guarantee the 'right to work'.
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (Mahatma Gandhi NREGA), 2005: The legal framework that underpins the MGNREGS program, guaranteeing 100 days of wage employment to rural households.
SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN: Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development who answered the question.
Rural Areas: Geographical regions specifically targeted by the MGNREGA for employment guarantee.
O.I.H.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2620
ANSWERED ON 05/08/2025
DEPRIVATION OF BENEFITS UNDER MGNREGS
2620. Shri ChavanRavindraVasantrao:
Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware of the fact that farmers of
several Municipal Council areas of Maharashtra are deprived of
the benefits of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS);
(b) if so, the reasons for not providing employment guarantee to
agricultural labourers working in Municipal Council areas on
the lines of rural areas;
(c) whether the Government proposes to include farmers living in
such semi-urban areas under MGNREGS enabling them to get
respectable employment and means of income; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)
(a)to(d): The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act (Mahatma Gandhi NREGA), 2005, provides for the
enhancement of livelihood security of the households living in the
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.
As the provisions of the Act are applicable for households
living in Rural Areas of the country, the households living in urban
areas are not covered in the current framework of the Mahatma
Gandhi NREGA.
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