SRINAGAR: Worker participation under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in Jammu and Kashmir has declined from its pandemic era peak, with 7.7 lakh workers provided employment so far in 2025 to 26, down from over 10.5 lakh workers in 2024 to 25, official data tabled in Parliament shows.
According to the Ministry of Rural Development, Jammu and Kashmir recorded 9.81 lakh workers under MGNREGS in 2018 to 19, which dipped slightly to 9.20 lakh in 2019 to 20 before rising sharply during the Covid 19 period. Participation peaked at 11.27 lakh workers in 2020 to 21, followed by 10.85 lakh in 2021 to 22. Since then, the numbers have steadily moderated, with 9.89 lakh workers in 2022 to 23, 9.93 lakh in 2023 to 24, and 10.55 lakh in 2024 to 25, before falling again in the current financial year.
The Centre acknowledged in its reply that variations in worker participation, including declines, have been observed across several States and Union Territories. However, it maintained that MGNREGS functions as a fallback option and that fluctuations largely reflect changes in demand rather than supply side constraints. The Ministry said that in 2025 to 26, as on December 11, nearly 99.70 percent of rural households demanding work were offered employment nationwide, indicating that the scheme continues to respond to demand.
Officials attributed the gap between work demanded and work actually availed to factors such as availability of better employment opportunities elsewhere, illness, seasonal agricultural activity and favourable monsoon conditions. In Jammu and Kashmir, where rural livelihoods are closely tied to agriculture, horticulture and allied activities, such seasonal shifts significantly influence demand for wage employment under the scheme.
A longer term view of the data suggests that the post pandemic decline in Jammu and Kashmir mirrors trends seen in several other States. Kerala, which was specifically mentioned in the question raised in Parliament, saw worker participation fall from 18.98 lakh in 2021 to 22 to 15.40 lakh in 2024 to 25 and 13.10 lakh in 2025 to 26. Similar moderation is visible in States such as Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka and Telangana, even as large States like Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan continue to report high absolute numbers.
The Ministry said it has undertaken regular reviews of MGNREGS implementation, including worker participation trends, through labour budget meetings, mid term reviews and programme review meetings with States and Union Territories. It also pointed to information, education and communication campaigns, expansion of demand registration systems, participatory planning through Gram Sabhas and organisation of Rozgar Diwas as measures to ensure that demand for work does not go unregistered.
