On 30 January 2024, Manoj Sinha, lieutenant governor, Jammu and Kashmir, announced that he had given the green light to increase the monthly pay for the staff who help with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). This decision is expected to benefit about 4,000 employees.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the MGNREGA programme started in three very backward districts—Doda, Kupwara and Poonch—in 2006. In the second phase, it expanded to two more districts, Anantnag and Jammu. Finally, in the last phase, it was introduced in the entire state in 2008–09.
The goal of the programme is to improve the lives of people in rural areas by giving them jobs that also contribute to building infrastructure. In this scheme, any adult who is willing to do simple manual work is guaranteed 100 days of paid employment in a year. The programme aims to give power to the people to decide how the programme works, especially through the Gram Panchayat. Additionally, it aims to reduce poverty by directly addressing the needs of rural life.
The approval of an increase in the monthly payment for the supporting staff of MGNREGA fulfils their long-standing demand. This decision reflects the commitment of the Jammu and Kashmir Administration to the well-being of its staff and their families, as mentioned in a post on X.
