MGNREGS wage rates revised, hikes range between 3-10pc for different states
Centre has notified the revised wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), with several States reporting a hike in wages by 8 to 10 per cent.
Team RuralVoice
After clearance from the Election Commission, as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in force for the Lok Sabha polls, the Centre has notified the revised wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), with several States reporting a hike in wages by 8 to 10 per cent.
The hike ranged from Rs.7 in Uttar Pradesh (2023- Rs.230 - to 2024 rate of Rs.237) to Rs.34 hike in Goa (2023 wages Rs.322 to 2024 wages Rs.356).
Significant jump in wages has been reported by Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Goa, where the hikes varied from 8 per cent to 10.5 per cent. Bihar follows closely behind, where the wages have been revised by Rs.17.
Haryana continues to offer the best wages at Rs.374 per day, while Uttar Pradesh at Rs.237 has one of the lowest wages. These revised rates will be applicable from April 1.
In Goa, MNREGA wages have increased to Rs 356 after an increase of Rs 34, in Karnataka it has risen by Rs 33 to Rs 349, in Kerala it has gone up by Rs 13 to Rs 346 and in Punjab it has increased by Rs 19 to Rs 322. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, MNREGA wages have been hiked by Rs 28 to Rs 300. The highest increase of 10 percent in MNREGA wages has happened in Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka and Telangana.
The lowest MNREGA wage in the country is Rs 234 in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. After these, the lowest MNREGA wage is Rs 237 in UP and Uttarakhand. In these two states, MNREGA wages have been increased the least by Rs 7 each. Whereas in Bihar the MNREGA wage is Rs 245 more than in UP. After an increase of Rs 22 in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, MNREGA wages have become Rs 243. In West Bengal, the MNREGA wage rate has been increased by Rs 13 to Rs 250. The MNREGA wage rate in Odisha is Rs 254 and in Rajasthan is Rs 266.
After the new notification, the average MNREGA wage in the country has increased by Rs 17.9 to Rs 282.4. MNREGA wages in UP, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan are lower than the national average. Whereas in Haryana, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu, MNREGA wages are higher than the national average.
Questions have been raised regarding the huge difference in MNREGA wages between different states. In a report tabled in Parliament earlier this year, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj had highlighted the variation in MGNREGA wages across states and found the wages inadequate.
Though a routine exercise that has to be carried out each year as per the governing Act, the Union Rural Development Ministry had to seek special permission from the Election Commission to issue the notification.
There are a total of 14.34 crore active workers. As per the latest statistics of the government, in the financial year 2023-24, the nationwide average days of employment provided per household was 51 days as against the promise of a guaranteed 100 days of work.
Meanwhile, the Congress attacked the Modi government after it notified revised MGNREGS wages for 2024-25, saying the daily wage rates in all states are well below the Rs 400 a day promised by the party under its 'Shramik NYAY' guarantees.
The Congress' 'Shramik NYAY' announcement guarantees a nationwide minimum wage of Rs 400 per day to put an end to wage stagnation.
Meanwhile, flagging that the MGNREGS wage rates for West Bengal have been hiked just by 5 per cent, TMC leader Saket Gokhale said it is a brazen display of the BJP's "hate" for the state.
Referring to the wage notification for the flagship rural employment scheme issued by the Union Rural Development Ministry, Gokhale said the wage hike for West Bengal is only 5 per cent, while it is more than 7 per cent for Bihar, over 9 per cent for Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and more than 10 per cent for Andhra Pradesh.
"After withholding over Rs 7,000 crore of MGNREGA wage dues, the anti-Bengal BJP zamindars have again resorted to targeting the people of West Bengal by punishing them with a meagre 5 per cent wage hike while BJP states get as much as 10 per cent hike," the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader said in a post on X.
"This is yet another brazen display of BJP's hate for Bengal -- something that will get a resounding response from the people in the upcoming elections," he tweeted.
The notification on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) wage rates was issued by the BJP-led Centre on Wednesday.
| States | MGNREGA Wage Rate per day 2024-25 (RS) | 2023-24 | Change | Change in % |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 234 | 224 | 10 | 4.46 |
| Nagaland | 234 | 224 | 10 | 4.46 |
| UP | 237 | 230 | 7 | 3.04 |
| Uttarakhand | 237 | 230 | 7 | 3.04 |
| Tripura | 242 | 226 | 16 | 7.08 |
| Chattisgarh | 243 | 221 | 22 | 9.95 |
| MP | 243 | 221 | 22 | 9.95 |
| Bihar | 245 | 228 | 17 | 7.46 |
| Jharkhand | 245 | 228 | 17 | 7.46 |
| Assam | 249 | 238 | 11 | 4.62 |
| West Bengal | 250 | 237 | 13 | 5.49 |
| Meghalaya | 254 | 238 | 16 | 6.72 |
| Odisha | 254 | 237 | 17 | 7.17 |
| J&K | 259 | 244 | 15 | 6.15 |
| Ladakh | 259 | 244 | 15 | 6.15 |
| Himachal Pradesh (avg) | 265 | 252 | 13 | 5.16 |
| Mizoram | 266 | 249 | 17 | 6.83 |
| Rajasthan | 266 | 255 | 11 | 4.31 |
| Manipur | 272 | 260 | 12 | 4.62 |
| Gujarat | 280 | 256 | 24 | 9.38 |
| India average wage rate | 282.4 | 264.5 | 17.9 | 6.77 |
| Maharashtra | 297 | 273 | 24 | 8.79 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 300 | 272 | 28 | 10.29 |
| Telangana | 300 | 272 | 28 | 10.29 |
| Sikkim (avg) | 311.5 | 295 | 16.5 | 5.59 |
| Lakshadweep | 315 | 304 | 11 | 3.62 |
| Tamil Nadu | 319 | 294 | 25 | 8.50 |
| Puducherry | 319 | 294 | 25 | 8.50 |
| Punjab | 322 | 303 | 19 | 6.27 |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | 324 | 297 | 27 | 9.09 |
| Andamam & Nicobar (Avg) | 338 | 319.5 | 18.5 | 5.79 |
| Kerala | 346 | 333 | 13 | 3.90 |
| Karnataka | 349 | 316 | 33 | 10.44 |
| Goa | 356 | 322 | 34 | 10.56 |
| Haryana | 374 | 357 | 17 | 4.76 |
