Govt hikes wages under MNREGA

The government has revised the wages under its flagship Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, MGNREGA. The rates have been increased from 1st of this month. Disclosing this at a press conference in New Delhi last evening, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj C.P. Joshi reiterated that the government will not lag behind in providing adequate livelihood security to the poor, down trodden, and members of SC and ST communities. Dr. Joshi also informed that the government is waiting for the report of the Pranob Sen Committee constituted to deliberate upon a separate index for MGNREGA. The recommendations once submitted by this Committee will also be considered by the Government. Our correspondent reports, the decision to hike wages under MGNREGA comes in the wake of recommendations of National Advisory Council and consultations with the different Ministries. The move is likely to benefit more than 5 crore beneficiaries under MGNREGA across the country. The wage rates have been enhanced on the basis of Consumer Price Index for the agricultural labour calculated on the basis of 100 rupees or the actual wage rate, whichever is higher as on April 1st, 2009. The minister said, this will result in 17 to 30 percent enhancement of wages under the premier flagship programme of the UPA Government across the country.