NEW DELHI, March 18: Meghalaya has registered the highest increase in MGNREGS wages — a jump of Rs 23 from Rs 203 in 2020-21 to Rs 226 for 2021-2022 — followed by Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Rs 17 each, and Goa and Karnataka, Rs 14 each.
However, Goa had the highest wage under the scheme of Rs 294, followed by Karnataka (Rs 289), Tamil Nadu and Puducherry with Rs 273 each.
In all, 22 states and Union Territories have seen an increase of less than Rs 10, whereas 12 states and UTs have registered a hike of over Rs 10 this time, official data showed.
Four of the Northeastern states — Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura — have recorded an increase of Rs 7, whereas Andhra Pradesh, Mizoram, Odisha and Telangana have registered a hike of Rs 8.
Interestingly, there has been no increase in the data for Kerala and Lakshadweep, according to the “state-wise wage rate for unskilled manual workers” notified by the Ministry of Rural Development.
According to the notification, Rajasthan saw a hike of Rs 1, while Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand registered an increase of Rs 3 each. All states and UTs, except Meghalaya, have registered a lower hike in MGNREGS wages for 2021-2022 as compared to the increase announced for 2020-2021, the data said.
The new rates will be effective from April 1.
The lower hike in wage rates comes at a time when the rural job guarantee scheme has emerged as a safety net for migrant workers, who returned to their villages in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As on March 16, 7.42 crore households (10.92 crore individuals) have already availed the job guarantee scheme. So far, over 367 crore person-days have been generated under the scheme in the current financial year.
It is the Centre which fixes state-wise wage rates for unskilled manual workers, who work under the rural job guarantee scheme. The rates are fixed according to changes in the Consumer Price Index- Agriculture Labor reflecting inflation in rural areas.
Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Act 2005 is a labour law and social security measure to guarantee the Right to Work.
