MNREGA scheme provided a record 14.58 crore man-days of work during 2020-21

In a year that saw a large number of migrant workers returning to their villages from big cities due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme managed to prov

In a year that saw a large number of migrant workers returning to their villages from big cities due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme managed to provide 14.58 crore man days of work in rural areas during 2020-2021 in which workers earned ₹3,926.37 crore, the highest in the last five years. Starting this April 1, the daily wage will be increased to ₹289. A further of ₹10 will be given to workers per day as implement allowance. “The Centre had given a target of creating 13 crore man-days of work at the beginning of the year. This target was revised to 14.65 crore, and hence the State will receive an additional financial assistance of ₹800,” Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa told presspersons on Monday. “As many as 7.01 lakh new job cards were issued and 16.68 lakh workers were added under the scheme.”