Demand for MGNREGS peaks 23-month high in June

New Delhi, July 18 (KNN) Over 33.72 million household searched for work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the month of June, 2023, reported Business Standard.

According to the report this spike comes as a result of insufficient rainfall during the early southwest monsoon season and general weakness in rural recovery that pushed up the demand.

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is a flagship scheme aimed at enhancing livelihood security of households in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

In view of seasonal aspect, the demand for MGNREGS is among the highest during April to June because of adequate availability of funds and absence of any tangible work from other areas.

But the report pointed out that continued rise in demand along with other indicators prompted several commentators to question if the benefits of economic recovery post covid is actually trickling down.

Since the middle of June southwest monsoon has picked up much pace.

However there have been states where the shortage is still large enough to pull down acreage of many kharif crops.  (KNN Bureau)