Karnataka wants Centre to increase number of person days of work under MGNREGA to 50 days to strengthen rural infrastructure

Karnataka seeks to increase MGNREGA man days to 150 from 100 to strengthen rural infrastructure and improve livelihood of poor families. Govt. also requests Centre to add components to make scheme more vibrant. Working closely with other departments to handle drought situation.

Karnataka has sought an increase in the number of guaranteed person days of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme by 25 to 50 days for rural households from the present 100 days in a bid to strengthen the rural infrastructure and improve the livelihood of poor families in rural areas. 

Speaking to The Hindu, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge said already he had written a letter in this regard to the Union RDPR Minister. “I will soon meet the Union Minister in New Delhi to personally request him to increase the man days under MGNREGA scheme,” he said. 

The Minister pointed out that as per the Centre’s Drought Manual norms, all the drought-hit taluks would naturally qualify to get 150 days of man days of work under the MGNREGA as part of measures to ensure some support during the distress period. “But we want to increase the number of man days of work in all the taluks with an intention of strengthening rural infrastructure by using the MGNREGA scheme,” the Minister said. 

Already, Karnataka had completed about 8.5 crore cumulative man-days of work under its yearly quota of 13 crore man days, he pointed out, while stressing the need for increasing the quota.  He said already discussion in this regard had been held with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. 

Meanwhile, Karnataka has also requested the Centre to add a few additional components to the MGNREGA scheme to make it more vibrant. They include permission to build classrooms in schools, the minister said. All these issues would again be brought to the notice of the Union RDPR Minister during his visit to Delhi, Mr. Priyank said. 

Referring to the deficit monsoon and drought in various taluks, the minister said the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department was working in co-ordination with other departments concerned for effectively handling the drought situation. “Unlike the previous dispensation, we are working very closely with the departments of Revenue, Minor Irrigation, Horticulture and Agriculture. For the first time in the recent times, we are not working in silos,” he said. 

He said the government had already given ₹ 1 crore each to ZP CEOs for handling drinking water issues. Later, when the monsoon got delayed, ₹ 6 crore was given to them based on their contingency plan. “I have had two meetings with ZP CEOs and asked them to submit their contingency plans based on their local and regional water storage situation,” he said.