No unemployment allowance to MGNREGS workers in Haryana despite rules: Congress MP

Quoting a reply he received from the Union ministry of rural development on unstarred questions regarding the scheme, the MP said that in 2024-25 only 2,191 households have been provided 100 days of employment in contrast to the 8,06,422 active workers under the scheme, adding that no unemployment allowance has been reported by the state government under the scheme during the last five financial years

Congress MP Varun Chaudhary on Tuesday alleged that the Haryana government has not paid unemployment allowance to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employement Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) workers years despite rules.

With regard to Haryana, no unemployment allowance has been reported by the state government in NREGASoft (dedicated portal) as paid to workers under the scheme during the last five financial years, said Union ministry. (File)

Quoting a reply he received from the Union ministry of rural development on unstarred questions regarding the scheme, the MP said that in 2024-25 only 2,191 households have been provided 100 days of employment in contrast to the 8,06,422 active workers under the scheme, adding that no unemployment allowance has been reported by the state government under the scheme during the last five financial years.

In the reply, a copy of which HT has, minister of state Kamlesh Paswan stated that MGNREGS is a demand-driven wage employment programme and as per the mandate of the act every eligible rural household is entitled to get at least 100 days of wage employment in every financial year, if he/she is willing to do unskilled manual work. In cases where the state government fails to provide employment within the stipulated time period, unemployment allowance becomes payable under Section 7 of the Act.

“With regard to Haryana, no unemployment allowance has been reported by the state government in NREGASoft (dedicated portal) as paid to workers under the scheme during the last five financial years,” Paswan said in the reply.

Though there was no response on the amount for delay compensation provided during the last five years in the state, the MoS clarified the government’s various steps to ensure timely payment of wages to workers under the scheme.

Paswan also stated that the ministry has taken up the improvement of National Electronic Fund Management System (Ne-FMS), intensive consultation with state governments and other stakeholders for ensuring timely payment of wages, verification of pending and delay compensation claims etc, formulation of Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) for monitoring of timely payment and payment of delay compensation, Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS), National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) and others.

“As per the provisions of the Act, beneficiaries are entitled to receive wage payments within 15 days of work completion. In order to ensure timely payment, the government has issued a comprehensive SOPs to all states/UTs, which defines fixed timelines for each stage of the wage payment process—from muster roll uploading to FTO approval. The ministry along with the states/UTs has been making concerted efforts for improving the timely payment of wages. States/UTs have been advised to generate pay orders in time,” he added.

According to figures, the government released ₹590.19 crore as funds to Haryana in 2024-25, up from ₹477.87 crore in the previous year.