MNREGA At Frontline Of Fighting Poverty Amid Pandemic

At a time when jobs in cities have come to a standstill due to COVID-19, MNREGA works in villages can prove to be a frontline scheme to help fight rural poverty. Across the country the demand for MNREGA is going up as most of the labour force from cities has returned to villages. Realising the critical support that MNREGA can achieve, the centre has released Rs 7,300 crore to states to pay for any outstanding wages. In Rajasthan, the MNREGA work that started after the lockdown has seen work demand rise tenfold in just a week. Kerala has got sanction for paying advance wages for MNREGA works, likely a first in the country. This would facilitate faster payments for work done for a day, without causing undue delay .