In a significant boost to rural employment, Maharashtra has witnessed a dramatic rise in the number of workers engaged under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) over the last five years. With the scheme now operating under a renewed focus, often referred to as GRAM G, key statistics reveal a doubling of the workforce and a four-fold increase in funds released by the Central government.
Surge in Participation and Financial Allocation
The data is compelling. In the current fiscal year, over 30 lakh rural households in Maharashtra have taken up jobs under MGNREGA. This marks a sharp increase from the 16.84 lakh households recorded in the 2020-21 financial year. Mirroring this rise in participation is the substantial jump in financial support from the Centre.
For the ongoing fiscal, the Central government has released a whopping ₹6,019 crore for Maharashtra under the scheme. This is a staggering four times the amount released five years ago, which stood at around ₹1,600 crore. The average wage paid per day has also seen a healthy rise, reaching ₹302 currently, compared to ₹224 in 2020-21.
Completed Works and Man-Day Metrics Show Growth
The output in terms of completed works has kept pace with the increased investment and participation. So far this year, Maharashtra has completed 5.02 lakh works under MGNREGA. This is higher than the 4.35 lakh works completed last fiscal when ₹4,451 crore was released. Going back five years, only 2.62 lakh works were finished.
A critical metric, the number of man-days approved for the state, has also doubled. From 7.5 crore man-days five years ago, the figure has now reached 13 crore man-days. Officials clarify that every eight hours of work by a labourer is counted as one man-day. The funding pattern is clear: the Centre bears the entire cost for the first 100 man-days of work per household, with the state government covering any additional days.
Shift Towards Individual Asset Creation
While the majority of workers in Maharashtra have utilised less than 100 days of work—ensuring the Centre foots most of the wage bill—there is a notable push for broader registration and individual benefit. This year, over 1.44 lakh of the 30 lakh registered households have completed 100 days of work. Last year, this number was even higher at 4.12 lakh households, indicating many may have exceeded the 100-day limit.
The scheme's scope is expanding beyond public infrastructure. There is a concerted push to include individual works that create personal assets for beneficiaries. This can include constructing a farm pond, a cow shed, or similar structures. "This not only creates employment for rural households but also creates an asset for the individual for whom work is undertaken," a source explained. This dual benefit of wage employment and asset creation is a core part of the scheme's evolving strategy.
The Maharashtra MGNREGA commissionerate, headquartered in Nagpur, maintains detailed fact sheets tracking this growth. The rising numbers are viewed as a positive indicator of the scheme's reach and the state's efforts to register every adult family member, ultimately strengthening rural livelihoods and infrastructure.
