27 mn workers in 18-30 age group given MNREGA jobs in four years: Govt

Over 27 million people in the age group of 18-30 years have been employed under the MGNREG scheme in the last four years, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

In 2015-16, 7.27 million individuals in the age group of 18-30 years worked under the scheme and this was 10.07 per cent of the total individuals that worked in the age group, according to data given by Union Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in response to a question.

The data said in 2016-17, 6.97 million individuals worked under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREG) scheme in the age group of 18-30 years and this was 9.10 per cent of the individuals who worked under the age group, it said.

In 2017-18, 5.87 million individuals worked under the scheme. This was 7.73 per cent of the individuals who worked under the age group of 18-30 years, the data said.

It said in 2018-19, 7.07 million individuals worked under the MGNREGA in the age group 18-30 years, which was 9.10 per cent of the individuals who worked under this group.

The total number of individuals who worked under the MNREGA in 2015-16 was 72.26 million, 76.69 million in 2016-17, 75.91 million in 2017-18 and 77.7 million in 2018-19.

On whether the government recognises that the average entry year in the share of workforce in the age group of 18-30 years for MGNREG started increasing after the 2017-18, Tomar said, "No".

"Mahatma Gandhi NREGS is a demand driven wage employment programme. It provides livelihood security i.e., fall back option for livelihood for the rural households when no better employment opportunity is available.

"The demand for work is influenced by various factors such as rain-fall, availability of alternative and remunerative employment opportunities outside Mahatma Gandhi NREGS," he said.

The minister said an additional 50 days of wage employment is provided over and above 100 days in the notified drought affected areas or natural calamity areas in the country on recommendation of the ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare.