MGNREGA workers' wage rate up 5 pc in 2025-26: MoS

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) Using the present methodology of wage rate calculation for Mahatma Gandhi NREGA workers, the Central government has notified the wage rate for FY 2025-26, which has increased by around 5 per cent (average) over the last financial year, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Minister of State for Rural Development Kamlesh Paswan, in a written reply, said due to revision by the Central government, the wage rate has increased by around 29 per cent (average) in the previous five financial years.

Paswan said, “State Governments can provide wages over and above the wage rate

notified by the Central government from their own sources.”

Highlighting steps taken by the Central government to compensate workers against inflation, he said the Ministry of Rural Development revises the wage rate every financial year, based on changes in the Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL).

The MoS said the index is different for different States/UTs as notified by the Labour Bureau, Shimla, Ministry of Labour and Employment.

“If the calculated wage rate of any State/UT is coming lower than the wage rate of the previous year, it is being protected by maintaining the previous year's wage rate. Accordingly, the wage rate of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS workers is being revised

every year since FY 2011-12. The revised notified wage rate is made applicable from 1st April of each financial year,” said the MoS.

Paswan said that as per provisions of Section 6(2) of the Act, from the inception of the scheme till the financial year 2010-11, the wage rate in Mahatma Gandhi NREGA was determined based on the minimum wage set by the respective State governments.

“However, from the financial year 2011-12, the Central government started determining the wage rates using the Consumer Price Index for Agricultural labourers (CPI-AL),” he said.

--IANS

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