Work demand under MGNREGS at 4-month high, FY23 funds almost exhausted

The budgetary allocation for MGNREGS has already been exhausted, if pending liabilities for the financial year are included

Demand for work under India’s biggest anti-poverty scheme increased to a four-month high in November, government data showed as budgetary support for it is almost exhausted this financial year.

More than 22.5 million people applied for work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in November, the highest since August. As many as 25.2 million people applied in July and 19.1 million in August, according to the Rural Development Ministry.

Household demand for the scheme—members of a family seeking work—rose to 18.5 million in November, the highest since August, when the number was 15.9 million. It was