Centre will now define minimum work requirement under MGNREGA: Report

Earlier, state governments had the responsibility to define the minimum quantum of work required to earn a day's wages

The central government will now define the minimum quantum of work required to earn a day's wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), as reported by the Economic Times (ET). It was earlier decided by the state government. 

The Centre may look to make changes under Section 27(1) of the MGNREGA Act. It states, "The Central Government may give such directions as it may consider necessary to the state government for the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act."

"This section gives the power to the ministry to give directions for effective implementation of the Act. The new definition of minimum work will be issued under this," an official told ET. 

Currently, the minimum work requirements vary across states. According to the report, Haryana defines the minimum work required to earn a day's wages as 84 cubic feet per labour per man day. In Himachal Pradesh, it is 27 cubic feet. In Tamil Nadu, the requirement is 33.9 cubic feet. 

The step is being taken by the Centre to reduce the "aberrations". This is also being done due to the increasing burden of the scheme. By the end of the second quarter of the year, the ministry generally exhausts two-thirds of its total budgetary allocation.

"There are many parameters to define a day's minimum work. There are multiple aberrations under varied parameters. The exercise has been initiated so that the aberrations are reasonable and within a limit," ET quoted an official aware of the matter as saying.  

MGNREGA guarantees 100 days of employment to one member of a rural household. The scheme is funded by the central government, but the state government defines the eligibility.