look news india
New Delhi: In a good news, the Center has decided to increase the wage rates for workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGA) by 3-10 per cent for the financial year 2024-25. Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Notably, the new pay rates will come into effect from April 1.
Wage hike for MNREGA workers: Check new rates
The average MNREGA wage across the country for 2024-25 will be Rs 289, up from Rs 261 for 2023-24, an increase of Rs 28 per day. The increase in wage rates ranges from 3 per cent for Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to 10.56 per cent for Goa and 10.4 per cent for Karnataka. In case of Andhra Pradesh, the increase is 10.29 per cent, Telangana (10.29 per cent) and Chhattisgarh (9.95 per cent).
Currently, MGNREGA wages are linked to changes in the rural inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index (Agricultural Labour). The Rural Development Ministry recently sought permission from the Election Commission to notify the revised wage rates as the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections comes into force.
After the increase, workers in Haryana will get the highest salary of Rs 374 per day. Also, the lowest rate of Rs 234 per day has been fixed for Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. The Center has allocated Rs 86,000 crore for MNREGA in the Union Budget for 2024-25.
West Bengal constitutes task force to ensure irregularity-free implementation of MNREGA schemes
Amid controversies over irregularities in the implementation of the 100-day job scheme under MNREGA, the West Bengal government on Wednesday announced the formation of an eight-member task force to monitor the distribution of funds.
The task force will also ensure that the standard operating procedures (SOPs) made by the state government are followed for distribution of dues to the beneficiaries. Under the new SOP, publication of details of beneficiaries and display of these lists at prominent places in state government offices is mandatory.
Moreover, the task force has been formed in the backdrop of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's announcement of completing the distribution of funds under the 100-day job scheme to around 30 lakh beneficiaries between February 26 and March 1.
The eight-member task force will be led by Secretary, Panchayat Affairs and Rural Development Department, Dr P Ulaganathan to ensure irregularity-free implementation of MNREGA schemes. Government sources said the task force will monitor the distribution to ensure that the funds reach the actual beneficiaries.