Central Government agrees MGNREGA wages lesser in Punjab compared to neighboring States: Arora

Ludhiana, July 27, 2023: The Government of India (GoI) has admitted that there is a difference of wage rates of unskilled workers under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGA) in Punjab and Haryana. The rate is higher in Haryana compared to Punjab.

This fact has come out in reply to a question given by the Union Minister of State for Rural Development Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in the ongoing Monsoon session of Rajya Sabha. She replied to a question asked by MP (Rajya Sabha) from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora whether it is a fact that wage rate for Punjab is Rs.303 per day as compared to its neighboring State of Haryana which is at Rs.357 per day.

In her reply, the Union Minister stated that the notified wage rates of unskilled workers under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in fiscal year 2023-24 for the State of Haryana is Rs.357 and for the State of Punjab is Rs.303.

Sanjeev Arora MP took up this matter in Parliament after Chief Minister Punjab Bhagwant Mann had already written a letter to Central Government on this issue.

Arora had further asked about steps taken by the government to bridge the rate disparity. In reply, the Union Minister stated that as per Section 6 (1) of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (Mahatma Gandhi NREGA), 2005, the Central Government may by notification specify the wage rate for unskilled work for its beneficiaries. Accordingly, the Ministry of Rural Development notifies Mahatma Gandhi NREGA wage rate for every fiscal year for States/UTS. To compensate the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA workers against inflation, the Ministry of Rural Development revises the wage rate every year based on change in Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labour (CPI-AL). The index is different for different States/UTs as notified by Labour Bureau, Shimla. If the calculated wage rate of any State/UT is coming lower than the wage rate of the previous fiscal year, it is being protected by maintaining the previous fiscal year wage rate. The wage rate is made applicable from 1st April of each fiscal year. However, State Governments can provide wages over and above the wage rate notified by the Central Government under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA.

Giving this information in a statement today, Arora said he is not completely satisfied with the reply given by the Ministry of Rural Development as they have not given a categorical reply to his question about steps taken by government to bridge the rate disparity. He urged upon the Centre to take prompt and adequate steps to remove this disparity so that no injustice is done to unskilled workers in Punjab. Moreover, this disparity is not good for overall growth of the state as well, he remarked.