In MGNREGS, 58.89% Are Women: Minister

The rate of participation of women in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) during the last financial year is 58.89 per cent. The government, while responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha said it was 54.79 per cent in 2019-20, 53.19 per cent in 2020-21, 54.82 per cent in 2021-22 and in 57.47 per cent in 2022-23.

Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, according to Minister of State for Rural Development Kamlesh Paswan, is a demand-driven wage employment scheme. However, the minister added that, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act prescribes that “Priority shall be given to women in such a way that at least one-third of the beneficiaries shall be women who have registered and requested for work.” This provision is intended to promote gender equality and ensure that women have equitable access to employment opportunities under the scheme, he added.

The responsibility of implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS is vested with the Government of States or Union Territories. However, the minister said, the Ministry has a comprehensive system of monitoring and review mechanisms under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS. “The Ministry regularly reviews the performance of the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS on various parameters, including women’s participation with States/UTs through Mid-Term Review, Annual Action Plan, Labour Budget Revision meetings and Performance Review Committee Meetings etc,” Mr Paswan responded to questions asked by AIADMK member C V Shanmugam.