MGNREGS wage rates revised; Haryana tops at Rs 374/day, Goa sees highest hike
New Delhi: Wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) have been revised, with hikes ranging between four and 10 per cent for different states.
Haryana stands out with the highest wage rate for unskilled workers at Rs 374 per day, while Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland record the lowest at Rs 234, according to the notification. In Sikkim’s Gnathang, Lachung, and Lachen panchayats, the daily wage also stands at Rs 374.
The Union Rural Development Ministry issued the wage revision on March 27, following clearance from the Election Commission due to the ongoing Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha polls.
This revision is based on the 2023 wage rates of the scheme, which aims to provide livelihood security in rural areas by offering at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment per household annually for unskilled manual work.
Notable increases include Goa with the highest hike at Rs 34 per day, bringing the daily wage to Rs 356, and Andhra Pradesh with a Rs 28 increase, now at Rs 300. However, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand witnessed the smallest increase at Rs 7, with the daily wage remaining at Rs 237 under MGNREGS.
Other notable revisions include West Bengal rising to Rs 250 (an increase of Rs 13), Tamil Nadu to Rs 319 (an increase of Rs 25), Telangana to Rs 300 (an increase of Rs 28), and Bihar to Rs 228 (an increase of Rs 17).
Although Haryana leads in terms of wage rate, the increase remains around four per cent. Overall, the increases range from four to 10 per cent, with Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, and Telangana experiencing around a 10 per cent increase, as per analysis from the notification.
Earlier this year, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj highlighted the significant variation in MGNREGS wages across states, emphasising that the wages were insufficient compared to the rising cost of living. The committee also cited a recommendation from the Anoop Satpathy Committee, suggesting a daily wage of Rs 375 under MGNREGA.
