Parliamentary panel criticises low wages under MGNREGA, recommends reforms
New Delhi: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj has expressed concern over the low wages provided under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), highlighting the need for urgent revisions. The panel has urged the Ministry of Rural Development to link wages under the scheme to an inflation index, ensuring they reflect the rising cost of living.
In its report tabled in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, the panel criticised the ministry for its lack of progress on increasing wages, noting that responses to wage revision proposals were “stereotyped.” The committee pointed out the inadequacy of the current daily wage rates—averaging around ₹200 in many states—which it deemed illogical given significantly higher labour rates elsewhere.
The report also flagged disparities in MGNREGA wages across states, urging the government to align them with Article 39(d) of the Constitution, which mandates equal pay for equal work irrespective of gender.
While the wages were last revised in April 2024, with increases ranging from 4% to 10%, the committee observed that the highest daily wage, ₹374 in Haryana, and the lowest, ₹234 in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, were still insufficient.
The panel also recommended increasing the number of guaranteed workdays under the scheme from 100 to 150 per household, to provide enhanced economic support to rural families.
Introduced as a social security initiative, MGNREGA aims to guarantee at least 100 days of unskilled manual labour to rural households annually. However, the scheme’s current implementation, particularly its wage structure, has drawn criticism for failing to address inflationary pressures effectively.
The committee urged the Ministry of Rural Development to adopt mechanisms ensuring fair wages and uniformity across states, reinforcing the scheme’s intended goal of economic security for rural workers.
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Steel mirrors deployed in Mysuru to discourage public urination
Mysuru (PTI): Fed up with people relieving themselves along roadsides, the Mysuru City Corporation has adopted a unique strategy to curb the practice and promote civic sense by installing reflective steel mirrors along pavements, officials said on Friday.
In what officials described as a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Corporation installed stainless steel sheets with a mirror finish along an 80-metre stretch opposite the Mysuru Suburban Bus Stand.
Officials said the reflective sheets are intended to confront anyone attempting to urinate in public with their own reflection, thereby discouraging the act psychologically.
“The idea is to maintain cleanliness and hygiene, prevent public nuisance, and promote civic sense. It is a simple yet psychological approach that encourages self-awareness through reflection,” officials added.
Soon after the mirrors were installed, videos of the initiative went viral on social media, with many people appreciating the administration’s innovative attempt to address public urination. At the same time, some users pointed out the lack of basic civic sense among people.
Several social media users also suggested that more public toilets, maintained in a hygienic condition, were needed to further discourage open urination.
Explaining how the idea originated, Nitesh Patil, Administrator and Regional Commissioner of the Mysuru City Corporation, told PTI that despite a public toilet being located next to the bus stand, many people continued to urinate in the open.
Even fines and warnings failed to deter them from relieving themselves against vacant compound walls, leaving behind a foul smell.
“One of our engineers came up with this idea, and we decided to implement it. The initiative has received a very positive response from the public, social media, and the press. We are now planning to identify more such locations in the city and install similar reflectors,” he said.
According to him, to ensure that the installation is both effective and visually appealing, LED lighting that switches on along with the streetlights has also been added, causing the stretch to glow at night and enhancing the city’s appearance.
Patil said the initiative had helped create civic awareness while also beautifying the city.
“We want our city to be clean and hygienic. We aspire to become the cleanest city in the country,” he added, recalling that Mysuru secured third place nationally in the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2024–25 last year.
