The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is a demand-driven programme and there is no question of a deficit, Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh said at a press conference in Delhi on Friday. His comments come against the backdrop of over ₹6,500-crore deficit in wages alone, which The Hindu had flagged on October 6.
The Ministry has asked the Finance Ministry ₹28,000 crore to meet the shortfall, which it has in principle agreed to sanction, but the revised budget will need parliamentary approval. The scheme was sanctioned ₹60,000 crore in the 2023-24 Budget, which was 18% lower than ₹73,000 crore budget estimates and 33% lower than ₹89,000 crore revised estimates for the financial year 2022-23.
Mr. Singh was addressing a press conference on the achievements of his Ministry in the last nine years. Answering a question, the Minister said, “There is no scope of deficit in the MGNREGS. It is a demand-driven programme. Then where is the question of deficit. There could be pending dues. And the Finance Ministry has sanctioned an adequate amount. In fact, they have given us a blank cheque, saying that whatever money we require will be released.”
