Question : Wage Arrears under MGNREGS in Kerala

(a) Whether the Government is aware of the fact that the wages of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) workers in Kerala is due from November 2016;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Union Government to release the arrears in this regard to MGNREGS workers;

(c) whether the Government has received requests from the Government of Kerala for releasing an amount of Rs. 636.52 crores as arrears for the year 2016-17 and Rs. 96.84 crores as arrears during the financial year 2017-18;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the action taken along with the reason for delay in disbursing the arrears of wages;

(e) whether the Government proposes to release the amount for proper implementation of MGNREGS and if so, the details thereof including the quantum of funds proposed to be released to the State; and

(f) whether the Government proposes to continue MGNREGS and if so, the action taken by the Government for providing sufficient amount of funds to State Governments to disburse wages to workers?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV)


(a) to (f): The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act is a demand driven wage employment programme. Funds for programme implementation including payment of wages are released to the States/UTs including Kerala after verifying the performance, utilisation of funds released and as per the agreed to Labour Budget. The Ministry has sanctioned Rs. 1078.20 crore (as on 24.7.2017) to the State Government of Kerala for implementation of MGNREGS.

The fund release to States/UTs including Kerala is a continuous process and Central Government is committed to make funds available as per actual basis. States/UTs-wise details of Central fund released under the MGNREGS during the current years (as on 24.07.2017) are given in Annexure.

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