MGNREGA: Budget Allocation Increased Once Again For Rural Employment

In the last budget before the General Assembly elections, the government announced the allocation of Rs 60,000 crore for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for the financial year 2019-20. The scheme aims at the employment of rural poor in India. For 2018-19, Rs 55,000 crore was allocated for the scheme.

The MGNREGA promises unskilled manual work to every adult for at least 100 days in rural parts of the country. The scheme was introduced in 2005.

Government data showed that the total availability of funds under NREGS has been:

• Rs 58,403.69 crore in 2018-19
• Rs 68,107.86 crore in 2017-18
• Rs 57,386.67 crore in 2016-17
• Rs 43,380.72 crore in 2015-16
• Rs 37,588.03 crore in 2014-15

The total expenditure made towards the scheme was:

• Rs 51,510.82 crore in 2018-19
• Rs 63,646.41 crore in 2017-18
• Rs 58,062.92 crore in 2016-17
• Rs 44,002.59 crore in 2015-16 and
• Rs 36,025.04 crore in 2014-15

The NDA government has continued to increase allocation to this scheme every year. The MGNREGS includes the creation of assets related to natural resource management including water conservation, land development, irrigation like building dams, irrigation channels, checking of dams, ponds, wells, etc.