MGNREGA unpaid dues may be around Rs 21,000 cr by FY22-end, says PAEG

So far, less than 5 per cent of households employed have completed 100 days of work in the current fiscal year

Despite allocating Rs 22,039 crore more for MGNREGA, around Rs 21,000 crore could remain pending by the end of this fiscal year (FY22) because of higher expenditure, Peoples' Action for Employment Guarantee (PAEG) said on Tuesday.

The Peoples' Action for Employment Guarantee or PAEG is a group of activists, academics and members of peoples' organisations that came together to advocate for the NREGA in 2004.

“On average, over the past 5 years, 20 per cent of the budget has gone into clearing the arrears of previous years. The unpaid dues this year are already at Rs 12,494 crore,” PAEG said.