Executive Summary:
This document is the Ministry of Rural Development's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1450 regarding the review of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The response addresses concerns about increased coverage but decreased employment delivery in the financial year 2024-2025. It also clarifies budget allocations and wage payments.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **MGNREGS Performance (2023-2025):**
* Registered households increased from 14.81 crore in 2023-24 to 15.99 crore in 2024-25.
* Persondays generated decreased from 312.16 crore in 2023-24 to 290.60 crore in 2024-25.
* 99.79% of eligible rural households demanding employment were offered it in FY 2025-26 (as of 22.07.2025).
* **Government Initiatives:**
* Implementation of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns, including wall paintings, to disseminate information about MGNREGA.
* Expansion of the demand registration system.
* Participatory planning and approval in the Gram Sabha.
* Organization of Rozgar Diwas.
* **Budget Allocation:**
* ₹86,000 crore was allocated for MGNREGS in FY 2024-25, the highest ever at the Budget Estimate (BE) stage.
* ₹86,000 crore has been retained for FY 2025-26.
* ₹45,783 crore has been released in the current FY 2025-26 (as of 23.07.2025), with ₹37,912 crore for wage payments.
* No pending wage liabilities for FY 2024-25.
Impact Analysis:
* **Rural Households:**
* Impact: Access to wage employment under MGNREGS. The scheme acts as a fallback option when other employment is unavailable.
* Action Required: Register demand for work to avail benefits under the scheme.
* **Ministry of Rural Development:**
* Impact: Responsible for the effective implementation and monitoring of MGNREGS.
* Action Required: Monitor demand for employment, seek additional funds as needed, and ensure timely fund release.
* **Gram Sabha:**
* Impact: Involved in participatory planning and approval of MGNREGS plans.
* Action Required: Participate in the planning process and approve plans.
Key Entities Referenced
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS): A demand-driven wage employment scheme and a fallback option when no better employment opportunity is available.
Ministry of Rural Development: The ministry responsible for the administration and implementation of rural development programs, including MGNREGS.
Shri Kamlesh Paswan: Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development.
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005: The legal framework that established the MGNREGS program.
Ministry of Finance: The ministry from which the Ministry of Rural Development seeks additional funds for MGNREGS as needed.
NREGASoft: A software application used for the management and monitoring of the MGNREGS program.
Gram Sabha: Village assembly responsible for participatory planning and approval of plans related to MGNREGS.
Rozgar Diwas: A day dedicated to employment-related activities under the MGNREGS scheme.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1450
ANSWERED ON 29/07/2025
REVIEW OF MGNREGS
1450. Shri Selvaganapathi T.M.:
Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that the review of the Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for
the financial year 2024-2025 revealed that while the coverage
has increased with an 8.6% rise in the number of registered
households under the programme;
(b) whether it is also a fact that the review has also revealed that
the delivery of promised employment has gone down with
person days having dropped by 7.1%;
(c) whether the delayed wages are a key factor to mismatch
between MGNREGS coverage and delivery;
(d) whether the reduced budget allocation by the Union
Government has adversely affected the progress of the
MGNREGS; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)
(a) to (c): Details of number of registered households and
persondays generated under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) in the
financial 2023-24 and 2024-25 are given below:
(Figure in crore)
Number of registered
Financial Year Persondays Generated
households
2023-24 14.81 312.16
2024-25 15.99 290.60
(As per NREGASoft)
Page 1 of 2Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, is a demand driven wage
employment scheme, and is a fallback option when no better
employment opportunity is available. The Government of India is
committed to provide adequate employment opportunities to willing
eligible rural households under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS as per
demand. During the current Financial Year (FY) 2025-26 (as on
22.07.2025), 99.79% of the eligible rural households have been
offered employment against who have demanded the employment
under the scheme.
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’.
(d)& (e): Under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS for the FY 2024-25,
budget allocation of ₹86,000 crore was made, which was the
highest ever allocation for scheme at the Budget Estimate (BE)
stage since inception. In the FY 2025-26, the Government has
retained this allocation at ₹86,000 crore, ensuring continued
support for rural employment.
Keeping in view demand driven nature of the Scheme, the
Ministry of Rural Development closely monitors demand for
employment at ground level and seeks additional funds from the
Ministry of Finance as and when required. The release of fund under
the scheme is a continuous process and Government of India is
committed to making funds available as per demand for
employment on the ground. In the Current FY 2025-26 as on
23.07.2025 an amount of Rs 45,783 crore has been released under
the scheme out of which Rs.37,912 crore is for payment of wages.
There is no pending wage liability for FY 2024-25.
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