Highest-ever allocation of over Rs 1 lakh cr to MGNREGA, to boost employment in villages: Tomar

Highest-ever allocation of more than Rs 1 lakh crore has been made to MGNREGA, which will boost employment opportunities in villages and bring relief to migrant labourers, Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Sunday.

Announcing the last tranche of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said Rs 40,000 crore will be allocated to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) over and above the budgetary allocation of Rs 61,500 crore.

"With announcement of additional allocation Rs 40,000 crore highest-ever allocation of Rs 1 lakh crore has been made to MGNREGA, this will boost employment opportunities in rural areas and will be a big relief to returning migrant labourers," Tomar told PTI.

This shows the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's commitment to the poor and marginalised people in the society, he said.

Tomar further said during the lockdown Rs 33,000 crore was approved for MGNREGA works to states and Rs 21,000 crore has been allocated to them.

Eighteen crore person days of work has been generated so far, which is 40 per cent compared to the same period in the last financial year, the minister said.

Person days means the number of people working per day times the number of days worked.

Besides MGNREGA, Tomar said the government has also transferred cash in accounts of farmers, women, senior citizens and disabled, among others.

Announcing the additional allocation, Finance Minister Sitharaman said this will help provide jobs to migrant workers returning home.

It will help in generating nearly 300 crore person days of work in total and create larger number of durable and livelihood assets, including water conservation assets.