UPSC-Relevant News Items

1. Govt changes NREG terms: States to also pay, pause for farm work

Page: 2

Summary:

• The proposed Bill, replacing MGNREGA, hikes the employment guarantee from 100 to 125 days per household annually.
• States must now share the fiscal burden of the unskilled wage bill, estimated at Rs 55,590 crore in the first year post-implementation.
• A mandatory 60-day no-work period is introduced during peak agriculture seasons to ensure labor availability for farm activities.

Additional Facts:

• The proposed law mandates a shift in fiscal responsibility, implementing a policy mechanism where States must share the financial burden of the unskilled wage bill, moving towards cooperative federalism in social welfare expenditure.
• The introduction of a mandated 60-day pause in work during peak agricultural seasons is a regulatory framework designed to balance public social security programs with the labor demands of the private farm sector.

Linkage with UPSC course:

• GS Mains (GS-2):
• • Government Policies and Interventions
• • Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections
• • Issues Pertaining to Federal Structure

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