MGNREGA work demand hits a four-month high in December
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The number of people demanding work every month on average under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) rose to a four-month high of 25.73 million in December, according to the latest data from the government. This occurred despite a recovery in rural consumption during the first two quarters of the ongoing fiscal, driven by improved rainfall and the government's reliance on increased rural spending to offset declining urban consumption.
Additionally, the government aims to boost growth during the current fiscal year, which slowed to 5.4% in Q2 FY25, through higher state-backed capital expenditure. The number of people demanding work every month on an average under the MGNREGA has been rising steadily since September, according to data from the rural development ministry. It was at 18.93 million in September, 19.89 million in October, 21.56 million in November and 18.98 million in August.
However, despite the number of people demanding work every month standing at a four-month high in December, it stayed below the average figures for FY23 and FY24. The number of people demanding work every month barely changed to 27.73 million in FY24 from 27.63 million in the previous year, according to data from the rural development ministry. Experts said the rise in people demanding work under MGNREGA during the four months ending December could be attributed to seasonal factors, with people typically seeking jobs under the scheme when farm and non-farm activities are at their lowest.
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