Dismal rural employment scenario

There were recent protests in the Lok Sabha during the Budget session of Parliament regarding long delays in release of funds to some states under the rural employment guarantee scheme, stressing that the livelihood of the poor has been badly affected. MPs from various parties, including the Congress, raised the issue but the junior rural development minister alleged misappropriation of funds and other irregularities in the implementation of the scheme.

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A Congress MP from Kerala said workers had not received wages for three months and the delayed payment and low wages had led to a sharp decline in MGNREGA workforce. Another member from DMK claimed that funds to Tamil Nadu amounting to over Rs 4000 crore had been pending for five months.

It is understood that over 40 lakh claims for wage payments under the 100-day rural job scheme have been delayed beyond the stipulated 15 days. In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, Minister for Rural Development Giriraj Singh highlighted the hardships faced by poor rural workers, owing to the payment delay. According to the Centre, the state governments have approved 49.18 lakh claims for delayed compensation in 2024-25 till March 25 this year, of which 12.94 lakh claims have been settled.