Centre hikes MGNREGA wages, new rates to be applicable from April 1

Centre has increased wage rates for the rural jobs guarantee scheme, MGNREGA, for the financial year 2023-24, Mint has reported. The state of Haryana will have the highest wage rate at Rs 357 per day. On the other hand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have the lowest daily wage rate of Rs 221. The latest wage rates will be applicable from April 1, 2023.

In a notification released on March 24, the Union Ministry of Rural Development declared revisions to the rural job guarantee programme for the financial year 2023-24. The wage revision was done under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme 2005 of section 6(1).

Starting April 1, wages under the scheme will be hiked from Rs 7 to Rs 26 per day. In terms of percentages, the wage hikes will range from 2 to 10 per cent.

In absolute terms, Haryana's daily wage rate has been hiked the most, from earlier Rs 331 per day to now Rs 357 a day. Rajasthan registered the biggest percentage hike. The report said the daily wages in the state were hiked from Rs 231 per day to Rs 255 per day.

MGNREGA is an employment guarantee scheme that aims to improve the livelihood security of rural households in the country. To this end, it provides at least 100 days of employment to every household every financial year. The scheme involves adult members of a family who are willing to do unskilled manual work.

For FY24, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have set the lowest wages in the country at Rs 221 per day. This is after an increase of Rs 17 in these two states. Earlier, the wages were Rs 204 per day.

The report added that Karnataka, Goa, Meghalaya, and Manipur registered the lowest percentage hike in wages.

In a report released on March 9, the Union Ministry of Rural Development declared that a total of 59.7 million households worked under the MGNREGA scheme.