Executive Summary:
This document presents the Ministry of Rural Development's response to questions regarding the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). It addresses pending payments, reasons for delays, reforms for timely disbursement, employment statistics in Rajasthan, and potential wage increases. The data provided is current as of July 24, 2025, with financial year data pertaining to 2024-25.
Key Points / Main Content:
Financials and Payments:
* As of 24.07.2025, Rajasthan has received Rs. 3,312.60 crore for wages, material, and administrative components in the current financial year (2025-26).
* As of 24.07.2025, Rajasthan has pending liabilities of Rs. 561.28 crore for wage payments and Rs. 827.87 crore for the material component for FY 2024-25.
* Wage payments are directly credited to beneficiaries via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
* Material funds are released by the Central Government to State Governments, who then distribute to districts.
Timely Payment and Reforms:
* Beneficiaries are entitled to wage payments within 15 days of work completion.
* The Government of India has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure timely payments.
* Reforms include the National Electronic Fund Management System (NeFMS), Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS), and National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS).
* Delay compensation is mandated at 0.05% of unpaid wages per day of delay beyond 16 days after muster roll closure, as per the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, 2005.
Employment Statistics (Rajasthan, FY 2024-25):
* District-wise data on registered workers, workers who demanded employment, and workers who availed employment is provided in Annexure I.
* District-wise data on households completing 100 days of employment is provided in Annexure II.
* A total of 231.77 lakh workers were registered, 84.08 lakh demanded employment, and 77.23 lakh availed employment.
* A total of 5,11,216 households completed 100 days of employment.
Wage Rate:
* The Central Government notifies the MGNREGA wage rate annually, effective from April 1st, based on the Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labour (CPIAL).
* Wage rates have increased by approximately 5% on average over the last year and around 29% on average in the previous 5 years.
* State Governments can provide wages exceeding the Central Government-notified rate from their own resources.
Impact Analysis:
Beneficiaries (MGNREGS Workers):
* Impact: Entitled to timely wage payments and delay compensation. Wage rates are revised annually to compensate for inflation.
* Action Required: Ensure Aadhaar details are linked for APBS, record attendance accurately via NMMS, and report any payment delays.
State Governments:
* Impact: Responsible for proposing fund releases, distributing material funds to districts, and paying delay compensation.
* Action Required: Furnish fund release proposals, generate pay orders in a timely manner, verify and pay delay compensation, and implement the SOP for wage payments.
Central Government (Ministry of Rural Development):
* Impact: Responsible for fund releases, monitoring timely payments, and revising wage rates.
* Action Required: Issue sanctions for wage payments through PFMS, monitor timely payment and delay compensation, and notify revised wage rates annually.
Key Entities Referenced
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme: A demand-driven wage employment scheme, also referred to as Mahatma Gandhi NREGS or MGNREGS, aimed at enhancing livelihood security of households in rural areas of India by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
Rajasthan: A state in India where pending wages and material payments under MGNREGS are being examined.
Ministry of Rural Development: The Indian government ministry responsible for implementing and overseeing rural development programs, including MGNREGS.
Shri Ummeda Ram Beniwal: Member of Parliament who raised a question in Lok Sabha regarding pending payments under MGNREGS.
Shri Kuldeep Indora: Another Member of Parliament who raised a question in Lok Sabha regarding pending payments under MGNREGS.
Public Finance Management System: A system (PFMS) used by the Ministry of Rural Development for issuing sanctions for wage payments under MGNREGS.
Direct Benefit Transfer: A mechanism (DBT) used to directly credit wage payments to the accounts of MGNREGS beneficiaries.
Aadhaar Payment Bridge System: A payment system (APBS) where benefits are directly credited into bank accounts based on the Aadhaar of the workers under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS.
O.I.H.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1488
ANSWERED ON 29/07/2025
PENDING PAYMENTS UNDER MGNREGS
1488. Shri Ummeda Ram Beniwal:
Shri KuldeepIndora:
Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the total amount of pending wages of workers
and material payments in Rajasthan under Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS),
State and district-wise;
(b) the reasons for the repeated delay in MGNREGS wage
payments and the level at which its accountability is fixed,
State-wise including Rajasthan;
(c) whether the Government is making technical and
administrative reforms to make wage disbursement timely and
transparent;
(d) if so, the details thereof;
(e) the number of workers registered and employed under
MGNREGS in Rajasthan including Sri Ganganagar and
Hanumangarh, State and district-wise;
(f) the number of workers applied last year and were provided 100
days of employment, State and district-wise;
(g) whether the Government is considering an increase in
MGNREGS wages keeping in view the rising inflation and cost
of living; and
(h) if so, the proposed increase and the time by which it is likely to
be implemented, State-wise?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)
(a): Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme
(Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) is a demand-driven wage employment
Page 1 of 6scheme. Under the scheme, fund release to the States/UTs is a
continuous process. Wage payments are directly credited by the
Central Government to the account of beneficiaries through Direct
Benefit Transfer protocol. Sanctions for wage payments are issued
daily by the Ministry through the Public Finance Management
System (PFMS) based on fund transfer orders received from the
States after following due procedures.
With regard to Material and Admin components, States/UTs are
required to furnish fund release proposals to the Government of
India. The Central Government 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. The Central government releases
material funds to the State Governments which in turn release the
funds to its Districts. Central government does not release funds
directly to the Districts.
In the current Financial Year 2025-26 (as on 24.07.2025) an amount
of Rs. 3,312.60 crore has been released to the State of Rajasthan
for wage, material, and admin components.
As on 24.07.2025, the pending liability for wage payments under the
Scheme in the State of Rajasthan is Rs. 561.28 crore. Further, the
pending liability for FY 2024-25 for the material component is Rs.
827.87 crore.
(b)to (d): As per the provisions of the Act, beneficiaries are
entitled to receive wage payments within 15 days of work
completion. In order to ensure timely payment, the Government of
India has issued a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure
(SOP) to all States/UTs, which defines fixed timelines for each stage
of the wage payment process—from muster roll uploading to FTO
approval. The Ministry along with the States/UTs has been making
concerted efforts for improving the timely payment of wages.
States/UTs have been advised to generate pay orders in time.
Page 2 of 6The Ministry has taken various steps to ensure timely payment
of wages to workers under (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS). These
include:
Improvement of National Electronic Fund Management System
(Ne-FMS)
Intensive consultation with State Governments and other
stakeholders for ensuring timely payment of wages,
verification of pending and delay compensation claims etc.
Formulation of Standard Operating Procedure for monitoring of
timely payment and payment of delay compensation.
Reviewing the status of timely payment and payment of delay
compensation with the States/ UTs during periodic meetings,
Performance Review Committee meetings, Mid-term Reviews
etc.
Further, continued efforts have been undertaken by the Ministry
through various technological interventions for ensuring timely
payments of wages. Some of the key interventions include:
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): Wages are transferred directly
from the central account to workers’ bank accounts,
minimizing the role of intermediaries and reducing fund
misappropriation. This has proven to be effective in enhancing
transparency and preventing leakages. Almost 100% of the
funds are managed electronically with the wage payment
made entirely through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) protocol.
Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS): APBS conversion is a
major reform process where benefits are credited directly into
the bank accounts based on the Aadhaar of the workers under
Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, preferably Aadhaar Based Payments,
cutting several layers in the delivery process. APBS helps in
better targeting, increasing the efficiency of the system and
reducing the delays in payments, ensuring greater inclusion by
curbing leakages thereby promoting greater accountability
and transparency.
National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS): Real-time
attendance capture through geo-tagged photographs at the
worksite ensures accurate and timely recording of attendance,
which helps in timely payment of wages.
Page 3 of 6As per the provisions mentioned in Schedule-II of the Mahatma
Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (Mahatma
Gandhi NREGA), wage seekers shall be entitled to receive payment
of compensation for the delay, at the rate of 0.05% of the unpaid
wages per day of delay beyond the sixteenth day of closure of
muster roll. Delay compensation rules are notified by the State
Government concerned. The amount due for compensation is duly
verified and approved, and then paid by the State Government.
(e)& (f): District-wise details of number of registered workers,
number of workers who demanded employment and number of
workers who availed employment in Rajasthan State under
Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last financial year 2024-25 is
given at Annexure-I.
District-wise number of households who completed 100 days
of employment in Rajasthan under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during
the last financial year 2024-25 is given at Annexure-II.
(g)& (h): 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 their own sources.
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Page 4 of 6Annexure-I
Annexure referred to in reply to parts (e)&(f) of LokSabhaUnstarred
Question No. 1488 dated 29.07.2025.
District-wise Details of number of registered workers, number of workers who
demanded employment and number of workers who availed employment in
Rajasthan State under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last financial year
2024-25. (Figure in lakh)
Number of Number of workers Number of workers
SI. District of registered who demanded who availed
No. Rajasthan workers employment employment
1 AJMER 8.81 4.04 3.81
2 ALWAR 5.75 1.27 1.06
3 BANSWARA 9.94 5.67 5.31
4 BARAN 6.45 2.17 1.98
5 BARMER 13.46 7.20 6.90
6 BHARATPUR 7.98 1.39 1.21
7 BHILWARA 9.67 4.95 4.63
8 BIKANER 7.94 3.33 2.89
9 BUNDI 5.75 1.61 1.45
10 CHITTORGARH 5.47 1.69 1.48
11 CHURU 7.32 2.62 2.45
12 DAUSA 3.94 0.85 0.65
13 DHOLPUR 4.09 0.60 0.51
14 DUNGARPUR 8.23 4.73 4.54
15 HANUMANGARH 6.06 2.22 2.07
16 JAIPUR 7.93 1.42 1.23
17 JAISALMER 3.14 1.90 1.82
18 JALORE 6.69 1.67 1.55
19 JHALAWAR 6.80 3.64 3.40
20 JHUNJHUNU 3.65 0.50 0.42
21 JODHPUR 12.46 3.92 3.37
22 KARAULI 4.89 1.15 0.97
23 KOTA 3.22 1.35 1.25
24 NAGAUR 13.93 5.45 5.17
25 PALI 8.81 2.26 2.03
26 PRATAPGARH 4.40 3.04 2.90
27 RAJSAMAND 4.59 1.85 1.70
SAWAI
28 MADHOPUR 5.83 0.95 0.77
29 SIKAR 5.34 0.85 0.74
30 SIROHI 4.01 1.35 1.22
31 SRI GANGANAGAR 6.11 2.79 2.56
32 TONK 6.72 1.57 1.35
33 UDAIPUR 12.38 4.11 3.85
Total 231.77 84.08 77.23
Page 5 of 6Annexure-II
Annexure referred to in reply to parts (e)&(f) of LokSabhaUnstarred
Question No. 1488 dated 29.07.2025.
District-wise number of households who completed100 days of employment
in Rajasthan under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the last financial year
2024-25.
Number of households who completed 100
SI.No. District of Rajasthan days of employment
1 AJMER 21305
2 ALWAR 2179
3 BANSWARA 39048
4 BARAN 8052
5 BARMER 52671
6 BHARATPUR 2711
7 BHILWARA 9681
8 BIKANER 14463
9 BUNDI 3754
10 CHITTORGARH 7847
11 CHURU 10703
12 DAUSA 402
13 DHOLPUR 403
14 DUNGARPUR 62306
15 HANUMANGARH 30628
16 JAIPUR 7052
17 JAISALMER 21578
18 JALORE 12947
19 JHALAWAR 1769
20 JHUNJHUNU 3068
21 JODHPUR 16018
22 KARAULI 108
23 KOTA 3943
24 NAGAUR 26086
25 PALI 15913
26 PRATAPGARH 32447
27 RAJSAMAND 24830
28 SAWAI MADHOPUR 465
29 SIKAR 5782
30 SIROHI 19468
31 SRI GANGANAGAR 16821
32 TONK 2043
33 UDAIPUR 34725
Total 5,11,216
(As per NREGASoft)
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