The Union government on Wednesday notified the revised wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), with several States reporting a hike in wages by 8 to 10%.
The hike ranged from ₹7 in Uttar Pradesh (2023- ₹230 - to 2024 rate of ₹237) to ₹34 hike in Goa (2023 wages ₹322 to 2024 wages ₹356). Significant jump in wages have been reported by Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Goa, where the hikes varied from 8% to 10.5%. Bihar follows closely behind, where the wages have been revised by ₹17.
Haryana continues to offer the best wages at ₹374 per day, Uttar Pradesh at ₹237 has one of the lowest wages. These revised rates will be applicable from April 1.
Though a routine exercise that has to be carried out each year as per the governing Act, the Union Rural Development Ministry had to seek special permission from the Election Commission to issue the notification. There are a total of 14.34 crore active workers. As per the latest statistics of the government, in the financial year 2023-24, the nation-wide average days of employment provided per household was 51 days as against the promise of guaranteed 100 days of work.
