There is good news for MNREGA workers. In fact, the Central Government has announced an increase in the wages of laborers under the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for the financial year 2023-24. The Union Ministry of Rural Development has issued a notification regarding the change in wage rates under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA).

This notification was issued under section 6(1) of the MNREGA Act 2005. Under this, the wages of laborers have been increased from Rs 7 to Rs 26 and the new rates will be applicable from April 1. After this increase, the highest daily wage in Haryana will be Rs 357 per day and the lowest in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh will be Rs 221 per day.

It has been said in the notification that the Center can fix the wage rate for its beneficiaries through notification. The highest percentage increase in wages has been made in Rajasthan as compared to the rates of the previous year. The revised pay for Rajasthan has been fixed at Rs 255 per day, which was Rs 231 in 2022-23.

In Bihar and Jharkhand, the wages of laborers under the scheme have been increased by about 8 percent as compared to last year. Last year, the daily wage in these two states was Rs 210, which has now been reduced to Rs 228.