Mint reported that the Centre has increased wage rates under the rural employment guarantee scheme MGNREGA for the 2023-24 financial year. Haryana has the highest wage rate at Rs 357 per day. On the other hand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have the lowest daily wages at Rs 221. The latest salary scale will apply from April 1, 2023.

In a circular issued on March 24, the Union Ministry of Rural Development announced amendments to the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for the 2023-24 financial year. The wage revision is under Section 6(1) of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, 2005.

Wages under the scheme will be increased from Rs 7 to Rs 26 per day starting April 1. In percentage terms, wage increases range from 2% to 10%.

In absolute terms, daily wages have risen the most in Haryana, from Rs 331 a day earlier to Rs 357 a day now. Rajasthan saw the largest percentage increase. The report said that daily wages in the state had been raised from Rs 231 per day to Rs 255 per day.

MGNREGA is an employment guarantee scheme that aims to improve livelihood security for rural households in the country. To this end, it provides each family with at least 100 days of employment in each financial year. The programme involves adult members of the family who are willing to perform unskilled manual labour.

For FY24, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have set the national minimum wage at Rs 221 per day. This is after an increase of Rs 17 in both states. Earlier, wages were Rs 204 per day.