The Government of India has approved a wage increase for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for the financial year 2025-26. The increase, ranging from Rs 7 to Rs 26 per day, will vary by state, with Haryana seeing the highest increase. The new wage rates will come into effect from April 1, 2025. The hike is based on inflation, ensuring that wages reflect the rising cost of living in rural areas.

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• MGNREGS wage hike for 2025-26 ranges from Rs 7 to Rs 26 per day across states.
• Haryana records the highest increase of Rs 26, taking wages to Rs 400 per day.
• The lowest increase of Rs 7 per day is seen in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, and Telangana.
• Wage rates are determined based on the Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL), reflecting rural inflation.
• New wage rates take effect from April 1, 2025.
• NREGS guarantees at least 100 days of work per year for every rural household with adult members willing to work.
• Additional 50 days of work are provided to specific households like Scheduled Tribes in forest areas or those in drought-hit regions.
• In the current financial year (2024-25), 5.66 crore households have availed of employment under NREGS.
• The wage increase aims to improve the standard of living in rural areas.
• The NREGS scheme also helps support rural employment during off-seasons and natural calamities.