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Ahead of the elections, the central government has announced a 3-10 per cent increase in the wage rate of MGNREGA workers in nominal terms for the financial year 2024-25. The increase is similar to the hike announced for the current financial year.
The new wage rates will come into force from April 1, 2024. The notification was issued today.
In terms of percentage increase, wage rates in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have seen the lowest 3 per cent increase in 2024-25 as compared to 2023-24 while that of Karnataka will see the highest increase of 10.4 per cent, the notification issued late night showed.
Sources said the rural development ministry has sought permission from the Election Commission to notify the wage rates as the model code of conduct is in force across the country for the General Elections. It notified the wages after obtaining the clearance as the revision is a routine exercise.
The last revision in MGNREGA wages was notified on March 24, 2023. The increase in the wages at that time for different states varied from two per cent to 10 per cent. Karnataka, Goa, Meghalaya and Manipur were among the states which registered the lowest percentage increase in wages.
Bihar and Jharkhand came second in terms of percentage increase in wages, with the rates being hiked by around eight per cent compared to 2022. In 2022, the wages of an NREGA worker in these two states was Rs 210, which was increased to Rs 228 in 2023.
In a report tabled in the Parliament earlier this year, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj had pointed out the high range of variation in MGNREGS wages across states and had also said that the wages were inadequate and not in consonance with the rising cost of living.
The panel also quoted a report of the central government committee on minimum wages – Anoop Satpathy Committee – which had recommended that the wages under MGNREGA should be Rs 375 per day.
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First Published: Mar 27 2024 | 11:52 PM IST
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